LICENSING DIFFICULTY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 October 1908, Page 8

LICENSING DIFFICULTY.

WILL THE DUNEDIN POLL BE INVALID

STATEMENT BY REV. J. DAWSON,

. The Rev. J. Dawson, speaking to a Dominion reporter yesterday in reference-to the difficulty which has-been raised in connection with the. cbining , licensing poll at Dunedin, said that he was with Mr. A. S. Adams when that gentleman laid the-matter before the, Hon. Dr. Findlay. Mr. Adams was very much .concerned about the difficulty, which had i engaged,,bis attention for .' some time, .and'.'the, No-License party placed great confidence in his : knowledge ,on all subjects relating to the legal side, of tbeir movement. Theifea'r. that,the Dunedin>poll :might be invalid. was all the more -.pressing on l account of the fact that the: prospects in that 'city wore .considered' very hopeful "from the NoLicense ;point f of view.'. Mr. Dawson said he ,was:there": : a few'days ago, and. found,that thp ;campaijm;; wa'd;-''being very actively . conducted, on both sides. The Early Settlers' Hall, was crowded meeting .after meeting held by .'the No-License.party, and the atmosphere was', electrical..

The No-Lioense .leaders, were always on the alert (continued . Mr.'Dawson) to forestall if possible any flaw in legislation or procedure because ;if anyinformality was desired after a poll, it always, meailt "Go on selling liquor till .we. settle it."'

He ! added thai; the difficulty, suggested by Mr. Adams applied 'only to. Dunedin, as the names of-the electorates forming , the other city licensing districts had'not been changed. Thus the Wellington Licensing District consists of Wellington Northj Wellington - Central, and Wellington East; as. it did there .years ago (though the boundaries, have been slightly altered). Newtown has.become Wellington South, but is, of course,, a separate licensing.district,:as"before.; . • • ■ : Mr.;Adams.also,said that the.No-License leaders were anxious , to. see :.the Gazette notice, which; will show; in-, what form the issues aro, to be submitted-at the polls in districts which are now (owing to-the changes ut boundaries) partially. under No-License. The Attorney-General stated, in his'telegram to Mr..'A. S. Adams,; as ' quoted rin these columns, yesterday; that this notice would'be , issued,; at. once/ but it does-not appear in last night's' Gazette. , ■ ■ . -