NO EXCEPTION

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 45, 21 August 1931, Page 8

NO EXCEPTION

THE LICENSING POLL

LOCAL RESTORATION

ISSUE

In the legislation the Prime Minister will introduce this session for the postponement of the licensing poll no exception will be made of local restoration polls. ' ;

This statement was ■ made by Mi. Forbes to-day in reply to an urgent question by 'Mr. V. A. Ward (United, Invercargill). Mr. Ward asked whether, in view of the fact that the local pro-, hibition existed in Invercargill as a result of the.vote of the Invercargill electors alone, whether it was proposed that those electors should be deprived of their statutory right at the forthcoming election to say whether prohibition should be continued, especially as the country would probably be put to no expense in obtaining the electors' decision.

The Prime Minister replied that he did not see how it would be possible to make any exception from the principle the legislation proposed would enunciate, and which would be introduced in thebest interests of the country. It would not be possible to hold any restoration polls. He felt confident the great majority of the people thought that the feeling that would ;be engendered by a local poll should be avoided. He realised that the postponement would be a disappointment to some, but he thought'it was in the best interests of the country that the action proposed should bo taken.