EARLY ELECTION

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20273, 26 June 1931, Page 10

EARLY ELECTION

LICENSING POLL NOT " AFFECTED. * PROVISIONS OF THE ACT. Although there is some confusion the question among members ot Don, the licensed trade and the New Ze&.' "* land Alliance it is clear from the ; New Zealand Licensing Act (1908) that an 1 early election this year will not affect the holding of the licensing poll. The - only exception to tho holding of the licensing poll with the electoral: poll is when, through dissolution of Parlial ment, a General Election is called withm two years of the last. Ia that ' case, the result of the licensing, pou taken at the previous General Election holds good until the next emotion. Section 12 of the Licensing Art (1908) seta out;— • "On the day appointed for the taking of the poll of the electors or* each electoral district for the return of a member of Parliament for 'such district, at every general election after' the coming into operation of this Act and simultaneously therewith a (in this Act called "the licensing poll") of the electors of such district ■ shall also be taken upon the proposals to bo submitted to them under thii Act: ' ; Provided that—(a) The licensing poll shall be ta&ea in every licensing district notwiui- ' • standing that in anv such district 119 ~ ■ electoral poll may be required to be ,' ; taken for such election as aforesaid;'-" and also that " . (b) If at any time Parliament is di»-' ; solved before it has been two yean in existence, then at the taking ©f ,'the ' - ; electoral poll for the new Parliament ' i no licensing poll shall be taken, hot the result of the licensing poll at the then last previous general-etec- I tion shall continue in force nntil'gnch licensing poll is again taken taneously with the elctoral poll" next after the dissolution of such new Parliament. * .* - (c) No licensing poll shall le ralid "' in any licensing district in which no electoral poll is taken unleai at least A one half of the total number of electors on the roll of the ejeotoral dis- f • trict have recorded their rotes &t th« , licensing poll. , r„V '