THE LICENSING BLLL.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13103, 30 April 1908, Page 7

THE LICENSING BLLL.

'ATTITUDE OF ROMAN CATHOLIC

BISHOPS

Cardineil Loguo and nearly all the Roman Catholic Biehope of Ireland urge Nationalists to actively support the Licensing Bill.

The Established Gb/UTeih scorns to 3b© divided in its attitude towards the Licensing Bill. Most of the Bishops in the House of Lords are expected to support At, but at least two prelates have declared against it. It clear that the' "trade" is trying to obtain fcho support of the Church. "The singularly delicate manoeuvre of 'nobWing , the bishops has been opened with courageous contempt for anything in the way of finesse (writes Mr H. W. Lucy in one of his latest letters to the "Sydney Morning Herald.") By the action of a predatory Government the principles and property of the Church are endangered through the operation of the Education liill. The trade, attacked from the same quarter, sees its stability undermined, very well. If the Church will make common cause with the public-house in resisting tho attack, the publio-house will forget past projtx-tiiocs and somo injxiri-es received ■ and will deploy all its forces in support of the Church m resisting the Education Bill. This is the simple proposal, couched, of course, in more formal pl/rnse, submitted in a letter addressed to tit Bishop of London by the chairman of the Brewery Debenturo Holders' Committee. By way of foretaste of what will happen should tho overtures be declined, tho word hae gono forth that the trade shall withhold individual subscriptions to Church purposes, and shareholders in brewery companies are invited to adopt tho samo ocurse."

The "Daily Mail" reports that on the invitation of the Key. F. S. Willoughby, vicar of St. John's; Stockton-ou-Tees, tho licensed victuallers of that town recently attended a special .--eryice at which he condemned the licensing proposals of the Government. Members of the trade acted , as sidesmen, and tho manager of a linn of brewers read tho lesson .The congregation filled the building.