Continuance gains strong support

Press, 9 October 1982, Page 26

Continuance gains strong support

Almost two-thirds of all votes cast in the general licensing poll, held in conjunction with the 1981 General Election, favoured national continuance, according to the final poll figures tabled in Parliament. Fourteen per cent voted for State purchase and control, and 22 per cent voted for national prohibition. The percentage votes in all three categories were virtually the same as those recorded in the 1978 election. One of the most significant

exceptions was in Southern Maori, where only 43 per cent of the 13,794 votes taken favoured national continuance. One-third of the voters in the electorate favoured State control and 24 per cent opted for prohibition. Of the region’s general electorates, the highest percentage votes for national continuance were recorded in Marlborough and Selwyn (both 69 per cent), and the most support for prohibition was in Nelson and Sydenham (both 25 per cent).