TOMORROW’S POLL: TWO ISSUES FOR GENERAL ELECTORS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22889, 8 March 1949, Page 6

TOMORROW’S POLL: TWO ISSUES FOR GENERAL ELECTORS

Electors throughout the Dominion will go to the polls tomorrow to vote on two issues of major interest arising from recommendations to Parliament from the Gaming 1 Commission and the Licensing Commission, both of which completed extensive investigations last year.

The question to be submitted to electors in relation to gaming facilities is whether a sufficient number of people desire to see established a system of off-course betting. The Racing and Trotting Conferences have submitted to Parliament a project for initiating agencies throughout New Zealand, through which bets may be placed by persons unable t attend race meetings. The control of these ag"ri,. : es would be subject to legislation, details of which would be worked out only if the electors provided a majorit-' of votes support of the principle of off-course betting under control. Simple Form of Ballot Paper

Voters will be faced with the simplest possible form of ballot-paper, with a choice of striking out one line or the other. The ballot-paper -will carry a brief explanation of the proposal for off-course betting facilities, and the elector will be asked simply to vote for or against the proposal. In respect of the liquor issue, too, there will be no complicating factors lor voters. The propos, -t if a sufficient number of electors wish to have hotel hours extended to 10 p.m., with a maximum number of nine hours a day. provision will be mad tc chan;-,. the existing legislation to that effect. A bare majority will decide the issue, and on the ballot-ilaper there will be two lines only. In this instance the elector will not vote for or against a set proposal, but will vote for closing either at 6 p.m, or 10 p.m. Polling booths will be opened at 9 a.m., and will remain open until 7 p.m. There will be no general holiday in connection with the poll, but employees are i,o be allowed reasonable time in which to exercise the balloting privilege. •,