LICENSING AND GAMING

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25679, 16 December 1948, Page 6

LICENSING AND GAMING

REFERENDUM LIKELY ON MARCH 2 From Our Own Reporter WELLINGTON, December 15. A definite date for holding the gaming and licensing referendum had not been fixed by the Government, said the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Nash) this evening. However, the suggestions of either March 2 or March 9 are regarded in official quarters as likely to be adopted by the Government. It was reported from Auckland yesterday that the chief electoral officer in Wellington (Mr L. Irwin) had advised Auckland returning officers that the referendum might be held on either of these dates. The dates mentioned were purely to give the returning officers a guide to the approximate time the votes were likely to be taken, so that preliminary arrangements could be made for the poll, said a Government official this evening. i The draft of the Gaming Pol] Actj it is known, contained a clause fixing February 16 as the date for the poll, but this clause was deleted before the bill reached the House of Representatives. It was the intention of the ernment to have the referendum, taken before the Royal visit, but now that the Royal tour has been post-j noned, there is not the same need far having such an early poll. From information available in Wellington. the indications are that the referendum will be taken on March 2.