HOW MR. A. MYERS REGARDS THE VOTING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 139, 9 December 1911, Page 3

HOW MR. A. MYERS REGARDS THE VOTING.

ALTERATION IN PRESENT SYSTEM WANTED. [bx telegraph— special to the post.] AUCKLAND, This Day. Mr. Arthur M. Myers, M.P., who was seen by a Herald reporter in respect to the results of the licensing polls, said that until the final .results o! the voting on National Prohibition (which would enable tho number of people who did not record their votes to be ascertained) were to hand, he would not venture to ©xpress a definite opinion on the subS' ct. "It has to bo admitted, however," r. Myers said, "that there has been a very heavy vote in favour of National Prohibition. Although I havo not yet had the time to give the matter ' the consideration that its importance demands, I would venture the opinion that this large vote for Prohibition ie an indication that the people desire some alteration from the present position, such as State ownership. One is confirmed in this opinion by the 'fact that the local No-liceneo vote ha* had a complete set-back, whikt some of the Prohibitionists who voted against local No-license no doubt did so on account of being satisfied of the ineffectiveness of such a system. The disparity between the Prohibition and No-license vote, I take it, is, on the whole, an indication that a large proportion of the public, whilst favouring a regulated licensing system, wish to secure a change which presumably would lie in the direction of some form of State ownership." "How would the Trad© view such a proposal?" Mr. Myers was asked. "Until the proposal ie put forward for its consideration, it is not for the Trade to express an opinion," was the rejjly. In referring to the- results of the votes on the restoration issue in the No-licenso districts, Mr. Myers said the fact that in ' Aphburton and Masterton there had been a majority in favour of restoration should convince even the Prohibitionists of the wisdom of requiring a substantial \ majority to effect a change in existing conditions so as to avoid the inconvenience and confusion of periodical "fluctuations. He also referred to the defeat of a number of prominent Prohibitionist candidates as an evidence of resentment against the methods adopted by that party, especially the attempt to make the licensing question the only issue at the elections. ' He hoped that those of moderate views on 1 both sides would insist on an end being put to the undue prominenco of this one question in connection with Parliamentary elections.