LOCAL OPTION IN LICENSING.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Will you allow me, a licensing magistrate, to confirm, as far as my own experience goes, your opinion (which I am sur- prised was not shared by any of the speakers during the late debate on Sir W. Lawson's resolution), viz., that what is called. "local option" would tend rather to the increase of new licences than otherwise. I have attended every licensing session of my own Bench for more than twenty years, and I may safely say I do not remember a single instance of any opposition to the granting a fresh licence being made by any of the neighbouring ratepayers, except by some interested publican. On the con- trary, we have invariably memorials presented, often numerously and respectably signed., and sometimes headed by the names of the clergyman and officials of the parish, requesting us to grant the licence, on the ground of the public convenience. Our Bench are very chary of granting new licences, but I must say that we meet with no encouragement whatever from the ratepayers generally, such as we ought to do if Sir Wilfrid's theory were correct. As to a representative board of ratepayers, I believe that the brewers and publicans, who five years ago were strong enough to turn out a Ministry, would have all their own way in electing it, and could afterwards manage it as they
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