13 SEPTEMBER 1873, Page 2

The rumour that Mr. Lowe was preparing to revise the

policy of the Government in relation to the Licensing Act, •which has been set afloat by a contemporary often regarded as-semi-official and inspired,' is quite baseless. The fact is that Mr. Winter- botham officially moved for the return of the cases in which the Act had been put in force while Mr. Bruce was still Home Secretary, and that the forms of the return had been in course of preparation under Mr. Bruce's own supervision fully six weeks before. No doubt the department believes that the returns will prove the beneficial working of the Act, instead of affording materials to justify its repeal.