LICENSING ELECTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11226, 25 March 1897, Page 6

LICENSING ELECTIONS.

[Per Press Association. J AUCKLAND, March 24. Very little interest was manifested ’ in the Auckland City licensing election, which took place to-day, and had it not been for the fact of" all the city hotels closing at noon until after the close of the polling, comparatively few in the community would have been aware that au election was .-in progress. The ticket nominated was elected, namely, Messrs J. J. Craig, T. T. Masefield, J. T. Julian, J. Patterson and C. S. Wright, ’ The independent candidate, Mr William Craig, who was understood to be in favour of free houses, only polled half the-votes of the ticket.: Less than 1000 electors polled. NORTH, March 24. . The Prohibition Party was defeated at the election of a Licensing Committee, their five candidates being several hundreds below the ■-successful ones, Messrs R. S. Abrahams, -Solomon Abrahams, P. Bryant, W. T. Wood and D. Buick. WELLINGTON, March 24. The suburbs licensing election resulted in the return of Messrs Bulkoly, King, Shaw, Cathie and Baker, all temperance candidates, by a large majority over the moderate ticket.

The keenest possible interest was taken in the election of a licensing committee at Ashburton yesterday, and the; contest was a great trial of strength between the Moderates and the extreme Temperance Party. ’’When the telegraph office closed last night the Ashburton Courthouse, Mayheld and Gtecnstreet returns had still to come in. The total announced , returns were Moderates—A. M’Farlano, 547 ;D. M’Lean, 647; .1. M’Quilkin, 55G ; R. Sealy, 573 ;D. Thomas, 617. Temperance—S. S, Chapman, 377 ; G.' Clephane, 340; G. W. Loadley, 347 ; T. Taylor, 380 ; D. Williamson, 370.