WHY WERE THEY DEFEATED?

Evening Star, Issue 12762, 15 March 1906, Page 3

WHY WERE THEY DEFEATED?

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I feel that a word of protest is necessary in regard to your comments on the Licensing Committee 'elections. You said “ Clearly the old Committee had not the grip on public favor that some thought they had,” and make other remarks indicating that the vote of Tuesday means a reversal of public opinion. This is far from being the case. The reason of the defeat of the No-license Committee lies entirely in the fact that opinion was divided in the temperance ranks as to the necessity of electing a committee at all. This division of opinion was made known through the Press, and was consequently shared by the bulk of the voters, some temperance folk even voting against the Committee. Absolutely no effort was put forth by the No-licexue party in Dunedin City. Not a vehicle was engaged, and, as far as I know, not a voter was called for, and we only polled one-third of our vote. I myself was working in the Taieri electorate, and, like the rest, did not consider the matter of sufficient importance to come to town to record my vote.. The least effort on our part, or even a fine day, would have turned the scale. The other side, on the contrary, had vehicles runninggalore, and did their best. It is certainly an interesting query: Who paid for the vehicles? Who paid for the advertisements? Is a committee so fought for presumably by tile “ trade,” in a perfectly free position to perform justice upon that trade ? — I am, etc., CL B. Nicholes, March 15.