From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 17 April, 1908.

INTERESTING CASE STUDY

An interesting prosecution case comes before the Magistrates this morning, Thursday. Mr. Ryder, landlord of the Wellington Inn, being summoned for selling what is known as "two's of ale" i.e. 2d. of ale, which is one third of a quart. A short time ago the following notice was served.

BOROUGH OF DOVER

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

To Hotel Keepers, Publicans, and others.

Take notice that you are required by the Weights and Measures Act, 1878, and 1889, to have all

GLASSES, MUGS, POTS, ETC.

representing Imperial Measure, in your possession for use in Trade, stamped with the Regulation Stamp of this Borough.

Day or verification and stamping, Thursday, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Office, Town Hall.

By Order

CHAS H. CROMWELL MARSH

Inspector of Weights and Measures.

Note: Extract from Licensing Act, 1872, 35 and 36 Vict, ch. 94, sec. 8: "Every person shall sell all intoxicating liquor which is sold by retail and not in cask or bottle, and is not sold in a quantity less than half a pint, in measures marked according to the Imperial Standards. Every person who acts, or suffers any person under his control, or in his employment to act in contravention of this section, shall be liable to a penalty, not exceeding for the first offence £10, and not exceeding for any subsequent offence £20, and shall also be liable to forfeit the illegal measure in which the liquid was sold."

Extract from Weights and Measures Act, 1878, Sec 24: "Every person who uses or has in his possession for use for trade a weight or measure which is not of the denomination of some Board of Trade standard, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £5, in in case of a second offence £10, and the weight or measure shall be liable to be forfeited."

The Dover Licensed Victuallers Protection Society afterwards issued a warning stating that they would not defend any summons taken in respect to the notice. It might be said that "two's of ale," the moderate drinkers drink, has been an institution in Dover for many years. In reference to the sale or ale in a vessel not used as a measure, the following appears in the Licensed Victuallers Official Annual: "Vessels not used in Measures - Many years ago a notion got abroad that all vessels used by an inn-keeper in his business were compelled to be stamped standard measure; all others, no matter for what purpose use, were in the language of an ancient Act, "damned and broken." In Lancashire officials went about and swept off the shelves every glass and pot that was not stamped. The innkeepers were fined and all the glasses forfeited. For the express purpose of stopping the absurd procedure. Clause 22 was inserted in the Weights and Measures Act, 1878, in the words: "Nothing in this Act shall prevent the sale, or subject the person to a fine under this Act for the sale of any article in any vessel, when such vessel is not represented as containing any amount of imperial measure, nor subject a person to a fine under this Act for the possession of a vessel when it is shown that such vessel is not used or intended for use as a measure. Bellamy v. Pow, 12 T.L.R. 527."

A full report of the case will appear in our Second Edition.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 1 May, 1908.

THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS SPLIT

A NEW TRADE DEFENCE ASSOCIATION

"TWO OF ALE" PETITION

The new Dover and District Licensed Victuallers 'Defence Society', which owes its birth to the recent "two of ale" prosecution, now claims some fifty members, many of whom succeeded from the original Association. Meetings are held fortnightly, and at least one, on Wednesday, many new members joined. Mr. Gardner, of the "Swan Hotel", is Chairman of the Society; Mr. Holmans, of the "Rose and Crown", vice-Chairman; and other officers are; Mr. Ryder, of the "Wellington Hotel", Treasurer, Mr. H. Sargeant, "Engineer", Folkestone Road, Secretary, Messrs. J. Baker and G. W. Packham, Auditors. The Committee consists of Messrs. J. Brown ("Prince Alfred"), L. H. Burton ("Ancient Druids"), H. Butcher ("Boar's Head"), J. Cone ("Prince Louis"), W. Croucher ("Cherry Tree"), J. Dolbear ("Plough"), J. Easby ("Mason's Arms"), and J. A. Potts ("Star"). The subscription to the Society is 6d. weekly. No brewer or brewers' representative is eligible for membership, and there are no hon. members. The Society organised the petition and deputation to the Watch Committee on the "two of ales" question on Tuesday, with the object of trying to induce them to take no further steps under the Act which pronounced this popular measure to be illegal. The deputation, which consisted of the Chairman of the Society, Mr. Gardner, who acted as spokesman, Messrs Burton, Baker, Dolbear, and Packham, of the Committee, were backed up by a petition bearing 3,000 signatures.