ORGANISATION – Association for Stopping Sale of Intoxicants.

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 19/05/1871

THE LICENSING BILL – REDCAR MEETING

      On Tuesday evening last (16/05) a public meeting in aid of the Association for Stopping the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday, was held in the Old Wesleyan Chapel, Mr. J. G. Chapman presiding. The attendance was but meagre, though those present manifested great interest in the proceedings and during the Hall of the evening not a dissenter voice was raised against the assertions of the various speakers. The first resolution was moved by Mr. Abbey, as follows :- “That in granting the exceptional privileges of Sunday trading in intoxicating liquors, the law is on this side of the every irreligion, immorality, improvidence, and injustice, and that such a law cannot any longer be tolerated in a community accumulating the burdens of crime and pauperism; also that this meeting demands from Her Majesty’s Government a clause in the Licensing Bill to abolish Sunday trading in intoxicating liquors.” Mr. Lane, in seconding the motion, said he would have public houses clause altogether on Sunday, and thought it was a shame that grosses, is Bakers, and other tradesmen were compelled to clause that establishments whilst the publicans were allowed to do business. He believed, however, that the latter would be glad to have a day of rest on the Sunday, and therefore he would petition the legislature to let them have fair play and justice. This was not a teetotal question that they were advocating – that a man should do without drink altogether, but it was simply to advance the cause of sobriety on the Sunday. He estimated that nearly all the publicans year and to have their houses clause on the Sabbath, and would, if they happen to vote, decided against Sunday traffic. Mr. Lambert, Independent minister, supported the proposition, and in the course of a long and able address stated that this was essentially and in every respect a Catholic movement, and had no connection with political or ecclesiastical combinations. It was not a matter appealing to any party, but it was advocated by the Churchmen as well as Dissenters. This afforded proof that the movement would be of benefit to the public generally. He did not think that the law could do everything for the people; for instance, it could not force a man to be religious, almost, sober. The law could do very little for us without our consent. It could not command a man to be honest, but if the word not so the law could punish. He thought that public opinion on this subject was mature it, and that they had an overwhelming majority of people in favour of the stoppage of the Sunday liquor traffic, and therefore they wished the opinion to be embodied in an act of Parliament. They not only wanted the Sunday closing, but they could do with the closing on Saturday nights – say at nine o’clock, and if they could manage it, to have them shot till eight on Monday mornings. The speaker then went on to explain the resolution and to show how the present life contributed irreligion, immorality, improvidence, and injustice. Under the first he stated that out of every 10 Sunday scholars only one became a member of the church, and the other nine went other ways, most of them to gaol, and this was attributable to the public houses. These were the connecting link between the scholar and gaol. With regard to the injustice he remarked that the public and needed one day’s rest in seven as all other people did, and it was unjust to him to make him work. The short that the Forbes’ MacKenzie Act in Scotland had been of great good to the country because of the decrease of the number of criminals, and that the contemplated alterations would not set injudiciously upon the poorer classes. The resolution, on being put to the meeting, was passed unanimously, as was also the second moved by Mr. Hadfield, and seconded by Mr. Jas. Coulson, to the effect that memorials be sent to the Premier, Home Secretary, and the members of this division of the County; and that a petition signed by the Chairman of this meeting, the petitions to be forwarded to F. A. Milbank, Esq., M. P. and O. Duncombe, Esq., will stop, M. P., For presentation to the House of Commons.

FacebookTwitterDiggMore...

Lol Hansom March 16, 2013 Meetings Other Places