WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1894. THE RESULT OF THE LICENSING POLLS.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 85, 11 April 1894, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1894. THE RESULT OF THE LICENSING POLLS.

♦ It is three weeks to-day since the Licensing polis took place, bnt somo of the rosnlts have not been as yet officially deolared, so far as we have been able to ascertain. We havo, however, with considerable trouble, succeeded in arriving at a very close approximation of -the figures showing the general roaults throughout the colony. Although those figures may not be absolutely accurate, they are substantially and relatively so. The Bay of Islands results are not inoluded, as although we have wirod to the Returning Officer for tho figures, we havo not received them, and tho result is not known in AuokI land. Tho figures as to tho numbor of informal votes aro to a large extent merely an ! oatimato. as in many districts no statement as to their number has been made. In every case as to the result of a poll, wo have accepted the decision of the .Returning Officer, although in many instances those decisions are quite irreconcilable. With these explanations wo proceed to give the resnlts : — There are 62 licensing districts in the colony. Of these, 39 have elected- Committees in whioh tho Moderate members are in a majority, and in 23 Committees the extreme Temperance Party is in the majority. In 23 districts tbe Local Option poll has beon deolared void owing to one-half tho eleotors not having voted. In two districts (Bay of Plenty and Buller) where more than half voted, the Returning Officers havo declared none of the proposals carried by a majority. In 37 districts tho poll has beon deolared void, half the electors on the roll not having voted. The total number of eleotors on the rolls is, in round nnmbers, 251,350. Tbe total number of votes recorded as r ffective on the several issues submitted was 101,500. The informal votes may be taken at about 6000, so tbat the total number of olectors who went to *the poll may bo put down at between 110,000 to 111,000. Of tho offeotive votos 40,757 appear to have been given in favour of licenses remaining as at present, 16,089 in favour of reduction, ai>d 47,714 in favour of Prohibition. In 13 districts — Wairarapa, Wellington, Eaiapoi, Chrißtchurch, Selwyn, Ashburton, Waitaki, Oamam, Chalmers, Dunedin, Caversuain, Matanra, and Invercargill, reduction has been carried. In one district— Clutha — Prohibition has been carried. In nine districts— Now Plymouth, Wanganui, Nelson, Wairan, Grey, Rangitata, Paroora, Timaru, and Westland— the offeotual vote was in favour of liconsss continuing as they arc In the Buller the majority was in favour of lioenses oontiuuing as at present, while in the Bay of Plenty the majority was in favour of reduction, but in neither case was thore an absolute majority of those who voted, informal votes being counted by the respective Keturning Officers. These figures are very interesting, and highly suggestive. They show the relativo strength of tho Prohibition Party. It may fairly bo assumed that practically all those who desired to Bee Prohibition carried voted. A Party seeking to effect a change is always

active. A Party content with things ao thoy ar« is ra ely bo. It ia too much to ask v, man or woman to go to the trouble of voting to express mere contentment wit'a thinfw as they aie. It is for those seeking change to rally round the lallot-bojic-s to .show their «i reug th. The onus Vies I ou them. Thoto who did not Uko the trouble to vote innst be taken to have tacitly Oxprot.sed contentment with things as thoy are._ They do not docire clunjje, or they wouid havo txpitssed that desire. The probability, we think, is that a large majority of tho informal votes were in favour ot licensee romaining as the/ are. That side was lebs active and less organised, and mistakes wero more likely to be made on its part in voting than on the other. The fairest way, however, in dealing with the informal votes is to divide them equally. Those who votod for reduction are evidently opposed to Prohibition. They desire to regulate the liquor trade, not to abolish it altogether. The Act makes tho votes of the Prohibitionists effective for reduction by adding them to thoao voting merely for reduction, in cases where Prohibition is not carried. In estimating the strength of the Prohibition Party, however, the reverse course nnißt, be pursued. The voters for reduction must be counted with tho opponents of Prohibition. We have therefore 59,749 electors who voted againßt Prohibition, against 50,50 1 who voted in favour of the total abolition *f the licensing system and againbt the continuation of the trade. Compa'ing the total number of Prohibitionist votes with the number of elector:! on the roll, wefindthatit barely exceeds one-fifth — 50,504, as against 251,200. One-fifth of the community, it appears, would fain arrogate to itself the right to di-tato to tbe other tour-fifths what and where they shall drink. The four-fitths must be very foolish indeed if they submit to any such dictation or infringement of their personal liberty. The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act has at leabt served this useful purpose —It hcts domoDßsratod the numerical weakness of tho extremists, and has shown moderate men and women that they aro in an overwhelming majority if they will only organise and use their power. The Prohibitionists are more noisy than strong. Wo believe that in the late contest thoy reached the full measure of strength which they are ever lilnly to attain, and that now their numbers have been guuged and their weakness exposed, they will grow weaker instead of stronger. It will escito no surprise if their noisiness increases as their strength decreauOß aud the possibility of their attaining power grows beautifully lcs.s.