LICENSE OR PROHIBITION.

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1911, Page 5

LICENSE OR PROHIBITION.

THE POSITION^IN OTAGO.

“TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK.” i [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO THE STARiJ DUNEDIN, This Day. Everywhere, on tram or train, in office and home, in bar and vestry, not to mention in print, the prospects of districts turning dry, of New Zealand becoming absolutely empty of alcohol are being discussed. At first the Parliamentary elections seemed for once in a way to over-shadow the other contemporaneous issue, but there is no doubt that interest in the great social and economic question is increasing daily, almost hourly, THE VITAL QUESTION. Has the anti-liquor sentiment grown or declined since the last vote was taken? A very slight growth would suffice to put Dunedin in the position df being one of the first, if not the first of the four big centres, to try the experiment which her smaller neighbours to the north and south —Oamaruand Invercargill—have already made. Indications point to, Chalmers being added to the “dry” areas, and license being re-affirmed in Dunedin and in Dunedin South. DUNEDIN, This Day. DUNEDIN CITY. Last election Dunedin North, Central and West cast 11,686 for Nolicense and 8,772 for continuance, but 600 short of the necessary three-fifths to make no-license effective. That was an advance of 3000 on the previous vote, while the'Trade went back 250.

In the face of those figures the burning question is can the Prohibitionists make up the leeway? The readjustment of boundaries is regarded by the Prohibitionists as favoring the retention of license in Dunedin proper, but makes for no-license on the flat. Kensington, which was transferred from the°South to Central contains a' heavy Catholic vote. AN EXPERT’S OPINION. A prominent official of the Trade in Dunedin, after carefully weighing the issue, thinks that the Prohibitionists will find public opinion has drifted away from their extreme hysterically expressed platform as published. He thinks that the Prohibitionists require 3000 additional votes than those in 1908 to carry no-license. He discredits the idea that the Prohibitionists have gained ground in the City. It is thought that the abolition of the bottle licenses, which have always been the beto noir in Dunedin, will have considerable effect on the poll. THE POSITION IN CHALMERS. In 1908 Chalmers voted 2,155 for continuance, 2,582 for reduction, and 2,951 for no-license. Since then Waikouaiti, Seacliff and Waitati have been cut off and Mosgiel added. The latter gave a' heavy no-license vote three years ago. Prohibitionists expect under the altered conditions to succeed in carrying no-license, with a heavy poll favourable to National Prohibition. The Trade think matters will remain unaltered lest the traffic should be, diverted to the city. A large number-of seamen’s votes belonging to crews of oversea vessels lying in port may have weight in the issue.