AN EX-LORD CHANCELLOR ON TEMPERANCE LAW.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9124, 7 June 1895, Page 5

AN EX-LORD CHANCELLOR ON TEMPERANCE LAW.

The late Eirl of Selbourne, better known as Sir Roundell Palmer, and ex-Lord Chancellor of England, shortly before hi 3 death wrote as follows to a correspondent, who asked him—(l) Whether he thought the Local Veto Bill, if passed, would benefit the Temperance cause. (2) Whether he did not think it would be grossly unjust to deprive a publican of his license without compensation, and where no misconduct could be alleged -.— " Blackmoor, Petersfield, «• February Ist, 1895. "Dear Sir, —I have always held firm.y to the maxim that Aye ought not to ' do evil that good may come' For that reason I recognise the right of licensed public-house keepers to justice ; while I would de3ire. as far as possible, to promote by righteous means the cause of temperance. The liquor trade in this country has been carried on under the protection of the law, and by direct license from public authority. It has its legitimate uses, as well as its dangers of abuse; and, while I think that tbe abuses should be strictly restrained, it would be contrary to all my ideas, of justice to deprive those Avho are getting their living by a trade of this kind of their means of livelihood without compensation and at the arbitrary will and pleasure of any majority of their neighbours. "The licensing law gives no countenanco, in my judgment, to any such principle ; it entrusts the licensing authorities with a large discretion, which unscrupulous magistrates may, in some cases, use unjustly; but it requires them to proceed by judicial methods, with definite objects before them, and subject to an appeal to Quarter Sessions. "I also think that the temperance cause would not be promoted by any such mea sure as the Local Veto Bill. If a majority in one parish or district suppressed ail tho. publichcuaes within it, and a majority in the adjoining parish or district took the opposite view, this would (in effect) be to confiscate the property of all the publicins in the vetoing district for the benefit of the publicans in the district which allowed them to continue their business, and those who wanted drink would only have to go a little further for it. Thia Bill would do, on a large scale, thab which was falsely and invidiously described as an ' endowment of publichouses ' a few years ago, in opposition (only too successful) to the wise. ju<t, and reasonable measure proposed by Mr Goschen, only it would do it at the expense of those whose trade was destroyed, aud not of the nation. To a Bill asking ihe majority of ratepayers, or rather voters, to veto an increase of public-houses within their district by new grants of licenses (as distinguished from the renewal of existing licenses) these objections would not in the same way apply. Asked for my thoughts upon this subject I freely give them. " I remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully, "Selborne."