THE LOCAL OPTION VOTING.
TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The method' of counting the votes in connection with the local option poll has ■been so little known that many have inadvertently assisted in a direction they did not wish. It is evident from the returns published, that many who voted for nolicense refrained from casting a vote for reduction also. They were, of course, entitled to do this, but I do not think that many of them understood that, by voting for no-license only, they were, when that issue was defeated, then assisting in the very cause they wished to destroy. Let me make myself plain. At Lyttelton the valid number of voting papers is quoted at 3877.. There were 1784 votes for continuance, 1922 for reduction, and 2024 for no-license. No license was not carried. Every vote, therefore, which was given for no-license only and not also for reduction, was then practically given for continuance. It increased the number required .as a ma-
jority for reduction, and prevented the lot* ter issue from being carried. Had thg 102 voters (the difference between- the reduction and no-license votes) not been given at all, the number required for reduction would have; been 1838, and that issue would have been- earned by 34 votes. This points to the fact that the present system of taking the vote is too complicated. I think ; il would be quite safe in saying that not one person in every hundred Jn the colony wa* aware, prior to the poll, how the result of the local option vote was to be arrived at. Let me offer a suggestion to our new members. Submit only two issues to the people—continuance or np-lieense. If the latter obtains a three-fifths majority then the result must be prohibition; if a bare majority, then let that stand for reduction. There could then be no doubt os to ,tha number of votes cast, and almost all of th« difficulty at present- experienced by many voters, due to the present complicated system, would then be removed—l am. etc., » O.G.
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Bibliographic details
Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12986, 29 November 1902, Page 5
Word Count
344THE LOCAL OPTION VOTING. Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12986, 29 November 1902, Page 5
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