FIRST TRIENNIAL POLL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 69, 21 March 1894, Page 5

FIRST TRIENNIAL POLL.

VOTING UNDER THE NEW ACT.

LITTLE INTEREST IN AUCKLAND.

POLL EXPECTED TO BE VOID.

To-day the first triennial licensing poll under the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act of last session book place throughout ,lv _S ny of Neflr z«al»nd. In some parts ot the South, as will be seen from our telegrams, the poll created considerable interest, bub in Auckland very litble popular feeling was evinced in connection with the election, and in consequence it is expected that the poll, so tar as Auckland and adjacent districts are concerned, will nave to be declared void. - The polling to-day on the new Act **8 _J*n the following questions :— (1) Whether the number of hotel licenses for the sale of alcoholic liquor should continue as at presenb or be reduced, or whether no more licenses should be granted; (2) whether the number of accommodation licenses should continue as at present or be reduced, -or - whether more should be granted ; (3) whether the number of bottle licenses should be continued as ab present, or reduced, or more, be granted. On the Auckland electoral roll there are 15,100 odd names of electors, and the first duty of the Returning Officer for each disbricb when the poll closes to-nighb will be to count the total number of votes recorded. If half the votes on tho roll (7,500) be nob recorded, bhen the elecbion will be void, as the Acb requires ab least half the electors in all districts which are coterminus with the Parliamentary electorates, to vote, else the poll will be useless. Should the poll be void (as appears likely in Auckland) then there can be no increase of licenses, nor can there be any reduction for three years, unless for certain offences under the Licensing Act. Tbe Licensing Committee for fhis disbricb has already been appointed, there having been no contest.

The poll opened to-day at nine o'clock, and closes at seven o'clock this evening. The polling places were: Drill-shed, St. James's Hall, Sb. George's Hall, Ponsonby Hall and St. Sepulchre's schoolroom. Mr James Halyday, Returning Officer, was in charge of .the whole of the city polling booths, and bad a large number ol deputies under him. Arrangements bad been made for dealing wibh a large body of electors, as on the occasion of the general elections last year,- bub events proved today that elaborate preparations for a throng of voters were nob needed. Very little interest was displayed in the election, and during bhe forenoon the polling was very Black indeed. Up to noon little more than one hundred electors had recorded their votes throughout the city, the majority of these being ab the Drill-shed. The very wet weather prevailing this morning may have prevented many from coming oub Ito record their votes, for this afternoon things were jusb a little brisker in the polling-booths. On the whole, only a small proportion o.f the electors seemed to be recording their votes to-day. Ab noon today from the then prospects it appeared that bhe number, of. votes polled would not be much more than 1,000. In this case, if 7,500 votes at leasb are nob recorded the election will count for nothing, and things will remain as they are for another three years. Tbe only outward and visible sign of the prohibition interest in today's election was the .presence of;Severai ladies interested in bhe prohibition cause, outside the pollingbooths. The self-imposed duty of these ladies was to band leaflets to voters as they passed into the. polling-booths, instructing them to strike oub the firsb two lines in each section of the voting paper, thus voting for "no licenses." Ab bhe Drill-shed two ladies stood conscientiously out in the pouring rain all the morning near the entrance to the building and - served oub these tickets to electors. There was an hotel close at their backs, bub as may be imagined their prohibition convictions prevented them from seeking shelter under its comfortable roof. EDEN. The Eden licensing election was proceeding to-day, Mr Gilmour, Returning Officer, having his headquarteis at Devonport. The Committee for this district has already boen appointed, and as little interest was taken in the poll to-day, the election will most likely be declared void. WAITEMATA. The Waitemata licensing election takes place on Thursday week, the 29th instant. The chief polling centre is Warkworth, and Mr J. Morrison King will be Returning Officer.

An Otahuhu correspondenb writes :— " The election under the new Act for the control of the liquor trade, is attracting very little attention, and very few people have voted. The same remarks apply to Panmure." Ab Onehunga Mr Bush, R.M., had a quieb morhing! There are very few voters. The streets are quiet, and tbe hotels empty. No interest is taken on one side cr the other.