On this part of the Bill Mr. Ritchie was very
clear and decisive. It was perfectly absurd to say that the money was to be used as compensation for licences in any ease where the Magistrates might refuse to renew the licence now. They had not the smallest intention of enabling County Councils to pay for what the Magistrates could now do without payment. But the Government wished to provide means for the reduction of the number of licences, even in cases where the Magistrates, acting, as they are bound to do, on judicial precedents, would not at present think of refusing to renew the licence. In such cases Parliament had always professed to consider favourably equitable claims, and had even granted sums for the extinguishing of over-regulation prices for commissions in the Army, though these over- regulation prices were strictly illegal. So, too, Mr. Childers considered favourably in 1883 the claims of collectors of taxes whom he proposed to abolish, though they were only appointed from year to year, and his proposal met with no opposition in that House. Mr. Ritchie quoted Mr. Gladstone's very strong admission of the claim of some of the publicans for compensation, and also Mr. Bright's, and even a reluctant admission from Sir Wilfrid Lawson, that if the number of public-houses could not be reduced without compensation, "then let us have compensation."
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