From the Kent and Sussex Courier 13 June, 1873. Price 1d.

Tunbridge Wells Petty Sessions. Monday, June 9th. Before J. Stone Wigg, Esq., in the chair, and the Hon. F. G. Molyneux.

SPIRIT LICENSES.

Mr. T. H. Spencer, wine merchant, High-street, Mr. A. D. Gates, grocer and wine and spirit merchant, Mount Ephraim, Mr. H. Stephens, grocer and spirit merchant. High-street, Mr. H. Price, (Turner and Thornton) wine merchant, Mount Ephraim, and Mr. J. Carr, grocer, Calverley-road, applied for provisional orders to sell liqueurs and spirits off the premises. These applications ought to have been made to the magistrates at the last annual licensing meeting, and the magistrates now certified that had application then been made, the licenses would have been granted. Under these circumstances, it is understood that the Excise authorities will allow the parties to sell.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier 20 June, 1873. Price 1d.

WINE AND SPIRIT LICENSES.

The magistrates, under circumstances similar to those stated last week, consented to authority being given to Mr. E. Durrant, of the Royal Parade, Mr. W. J. Biggs, of the Royal Parade, and Mr. Alfred Bateman, of Mount Ephraim, to sell wine, beer, and spirits until the next annual licensing meeting.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier 4 July, 1873. Price 1d.

AN APPLICATION.

Mr. Josiah Carr, grocer, applied to the magistrates for a certificate for the sale of wines, spirits, and British wines, at his shop in High-street.

In reply to the clerk T. F. Simpson, Esq., Mr. Carr said that he had no certificate from the magistrates for his shop, at 7, High-street. The clerk said that being so, foreign wines and spirits were out of the question entirely. Mr. Carr wished to state that twelve month’s ago, Mr. Stringer, one of Mr. Simpson’s clerks, informed him that it was not necessary for him to have a license to sell “sweets. ”Mr. Simpson said no doubt that was quiet correct then, but since that time an act of Parliament had come into operation under which it was necessary that Mr. Carr should have a certificate for “sweets.” The magistrates could not then grant a certificate. They had no power to do so.

The Chairman:- I am afraid the people of Tunbridge Wells will get no sweets out of your shop.

Mr. Carr:- It is a very singular law.

The Chairman:- There are many of those (laughter).

Supt. Embery said Mr. Carr had two shops, but had only obtained one certificate from the magistrates, although he had been selling for a long time. He had been told about it, and now when it was required he could not produce the certificate. Mr. Carr had, he believed, taken out an excise license. The penalties were, he was told, very large. Mr. Carr said the excise officer had told him that he was all right, and did not require a second certificate from the magistrates. What, he asked, was he to do?

The Clerk (T. F. Simpson, Esq.) said he should advise Mr. Carr to cease selling until after the next annual licensing session.

Supt. Embery remarked that Mr. Gee, the Officer of Excise, said that Mr. Carr’s case was provided for by a saving clause in the Act, which he pointed out. Their worships decided that under the circumstances they could not do anything in the case until the next annual licensing day after the customary notices had been given.