Higham Ferrers Brewster Sessions
The annual licensing session for the borough was held on Monday last, before Mr. J. Wilkinson, (in the chair), Mr. H. Sartoris, Mr. G. Wyman (Mayor), and Mr. E. B. Randall.

DRUNK-Thos. Reynolds, was charged with being drunk in the borough on the 12th inst. at two a.m. Defendant admitted the charge, and was fined 5s. and 6s. 6d. costs, or 14 days.

This being the day for the renewal of the licenses, Mr. J. T. Parker, of Wellingborough, asked the permission of the Bench to make a statement. He said he appeared on behalf of the licensed victuallers of the town, to state they had recently considered their position and had determined to keep their houses open until 11 o'clock. He had no application to make as the law was definite, and when they consulted him he was surprised they had not done so before, and he could not seewhy he need be engaged, but they did not wish to take the Licensing Committee or the police by surprise, and as an act of courtesy to the committee who they looked up to as their masters and leaders in this matter, they wished him to give this notice to the committee and the public. As he said before he had no application to make the law stating they should keep open a certain number of hours, and if they did not they were liable. For supposing a man called between 10 and 11 o’clock and wanted a bed and refreshments, they would be liable if the houses were closed and the landlord refused to serve him. There was a necessity for the houses being open until eleven, as many of their customers requested them to do it, and besides this they had meetings that they could not close at 10 o’clock. He thanked the Bench for allowing him to give the notice.Mr Owen Parker, as the representative of the Church of England Temperance Society, said he could not oppose, as no application had been made, neither did he contest the legality of the steps taken by Mr. J. T. Parker, but he wished to protest against the extra time as it could only be productive of great evils.Mr. S. Pack, on behalf of the Wesleyan Temperance Society, wished to endorse the remarks of Mr. Parker, and on behalf of that society to protest against the extra hours. The Chairman said they had no choice in the matter. The law allowed the houses to be kept open until 11, so that the Bench would merely make a note of the notice without giving an opinion.

RenewalsThere being no complaints against the Houses, the licenses were all renewed.