THE BREWERS ON THEIR DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1897, 24 January 1885, Page 2

THE BREWERS ON THEIR DEFENCE.

A memorial was presented to .the Prime Minister on behalf of the ' wholesale country brewers of England in defence of their interests against tho attack's of optionistsr, It may be called the fm effort-of the -brewers,-for " the "protection of their properfyand'trade, and in defence' of tlreir; legitimate. interests againsttheper^stentattacks-which they ! 'had been: subjeiiS"byGSrtSlh:\feH-known I associations,, wlio, and exaggemafad fain porsuade tha th|M% represent the voicVef-the metnibrialisets out with a referenceta-the vast jjndustry whichhas been."e'nc6uragedand d|yelapeci-. liiidOTv the sanctipn" ; and [protection -of the' Licensing Acts,' jvhich it i» 'a'veCTcd,_ liave''bebn',admihisterSjl with scrupulous regard-to the intentipnji of the' . ; ito ,'th'e "spiritTufwell at -tliq.leitef p'brkof.' the- Lords' G6'mmi(tee'SS.lntemperahce in 1879 in prbbf 32r$!ffie power, of granting orwitholdihg bean givc.ir -to ;,the m'agM&eaynotmfthe suppresiori'.Dut formic the liquor ■traffic';-larid in defence of beer. as. the mnsii-healthful and sustaining of all-alcoholiq stmh r asserts that the history. of all' licensing .legislation has:.shbrayihat repressive measures' not" 6rily;fi|Tln their objects but are productive.bEgreater evils than those they are prevent. The petition then lays; ddwrf-'.'uie main grounds on>hichthe\mempr)al's'sare opposed to any lic&sihg'.legislaiioh'b'ased on the principle, of. local-.opti^i:Among these grounds'are.the f it fpuld . introduce.. an iiniiopsfilutional pb'we'r'pf. interfering with'}theipeople in the legitimate ex'ercisp of"spqiS habits; .that if would-create"clans'.".distinctions •affecting mainly the poor classes"], that it would'be unequal'in its' operltlens and restrictive powers, might in places supposed-to' repuire it'raqsfc; that it would institute, at the mere! bidding of ; the ratepayers, a system ofarbitrary con tjf fiscation'of valuable interests ] tJl&itV would tend to the denmralizatm-Wfie'-people by-'substituting open ■•■ and-.' responsible trade.,'Cseeret and irresponsible traffic liquors; that in practiceQ it '''. would .simply Bliift tho lofcilityrijf the ' consumption, and such evils; attend.ant upon excess weuld be !&oonirated, and intensified";' and"that in effect ft ■ would' establish the dangerous' .principle •that a majority of ratepayerHtfiany dig. triot hatvo a right to forbid/thYteuifc of any trade-or calling of whichftiiey disapprove, even though the same be carried on in other places with full.legislative sanction. The memorialists, submit that questions, psesenting such serious issues a3 are necessarily involved in any disturbance of the present licensing system should be decided by the Legislature'bnvgeneral principles,' as questions ijf "riafipnal policy, and not be'left to the* arbitrary paction o{ local passion and-prejudice."' A's"regasa, Sunday closing, they object to any scheme which does no,t also provide for the closing of clubs on Sunday; an,4 th,ey further object to those sitting as trates, on the bench in are avowedly in fayqr of "tiwgeriejafiiu> pressioii qf licensed'premises;. The memorial, it may be added! Ib signed by the chairman of every, society of country brewers in England,