The Press. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1894. THE LICENSING ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8730, 28 February 1894, Page 4

The Press. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1894. THE LICENSING ELECTIONS.

The approaching licensing' elections, it is understood, are fited to take place on March 21st next, although the definite announcements have not yet been issued. Tbe elections will be held for the two-fold purpose of electing the Licensing Committees and for deciding by popular vote whether tbe number of licenses shall continue as at present for the next three years, or be reduced, or none granted at all. The licensing districts are now tbe same as the Parliamentary electoral districts, and the rolls prepared for Parliamentary purposes are those upon which the licensing elections are held. As our readers are probably aware, by the Electoral Act 1893, the names of all those who did not vote at the general election have to be removed from the electoral roils, and unless they apply to have their names replaced they will be disfranchised at the approaching election. The returns show that a very considerable number of persons whose names were on the roils did not vote at tho general election. These names have therefore, as wo have just said, been removed from the purged rolls. Thero are, in addition, many qualified persons in every electoral district who have never taken the trouble to register, but who ought to place themselves in tbe position to discharge their duties as citizens. The purged rolls, we may state, are being printed, and the necessary supplementary roils are being pre* pared, aud will be sent to the printers after tha aud of this week. Those,

J therefore, who desire to have their ! names on the Supplementary rolls, | who have not already registered, must j act promptly. They ebauld apply ; without any further delay to the j Registrar to havo their names enrolled. ! There are several important reasons ; why every qualißed citizen should see i that his or her name is on the roll aud vote at the. approaching licensing election. Iv the firs* place/ it is desirable that the Committees elected should be composed of meu of high character aud well-balanced minds, who wiil admiu ister the law fearlessly and iv the public interest. We do not wish to see mea holding extreme views on either side called upon to exercise judicial functions. And believing as we do that the majority of the electors are fair-minded, we think this end will be secured if the moderate section of the community will only take the trouble to record their votes. The extremists ou both sides are quite certaiu to roll up in their full Btrength on pollingday. Because, then, we desire to see Committees selected, composed of moderate-minded men, wa ur#e on the great moderate section of the community to enrol and record their votes. But there 'ia auother reason why every citizau who has the qualification Bhould take care to express his opinion at the polling booth. As wa have said, the election will also determine the position of the licensed houses in the different districts for the next three years. It is highly desirable that there should be an emphatic expression of opinion on the questions submitted. • Constant agitatiou, even on the liquor question, is not good for the community. If tho people' think that the. number of houses should remain as at present let it be made perfectly clear by the character -of the vote that such ia their wish. If, on the other hand, they are of opinion that the number of houses could with advantage be reduced, then it should be made plain that this ia the view of a real majority of all the qualified electors. Agaiu, iv the extreme improbability of the electors iv any district determining to close all tbe houses in it, meu of moderate views, who failed to vote, would have cause to regret their negligence. In the above remarks we have nob entered upon a discussion of tbe questions at issue, for we have already expressed our own views regardiug them. What wd wish just now to enforce is very great importance of a decisive expression of opinion being giveu by the electors at tbe polls, aud in order that this may be secured it is extremely desirable that everyone who is entitled to vote bhould see that his name is on the roll, and should record his opinion ou polling day.