LICENSING COMMITTEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6346, 21 March 1882, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEES.

PONSOXBY. The polling for the election of a licensing committee in this district waa not marked by any degree of interest, as will be seen by the returns below. Only one of the candidates took any trouble over the matter, and as " the early bird gets the worm," he was rewarded for his exertions by obtaining a very respectable position in the list of the successful candidates. The popular host of the Ponsonby Hotel early in the day issued a '' Licensed Victuallers' Ticket," which is certainly the most original document that haa yet been put forth during any of the licensing contests. His " ticket " comprised the whole of the eleven candidates, and by " voting for any of the following" [here follows the whole list] " and oblige, W. Stanford, late M.C.L.V.A,,A." Various inquiries were made at the hotel as to the meaning of the cabalistic letters Air. Stanford had appended to his name, but all the satisfaction Boniface would accord, was that as there were a number o£ university dons knockiug about just now, witli half the alphabet attached to their names, it was just as well to be in the fashion. Some people were inclined to believe that the two terminal letters "A.A." was a sort of aide wind by which, Mr. Brookes was robbed of his hard won. honours ; but Mr. Stanford is not that sort of man. Subsequently it transpired that the mysterious letters stood for " Late Member Council Licensed Victuallers' Association, Auckland/' During the day the polling was very slack. Two or three cabs brought up. voters from town, but that was the only indication of activity. After 5 o'clock, however, the ratepayers bepan to turn up, and more polled between 5 and C o'clock than during the •whole day. There are 1064 names on the roll, and about G per cent, were debarred from voting owing to not having paid their rates within the date specified. Mr. Gulliver, the secretary of the Ponsonby Highway Board, courteously kept his office open throughout the hours of polling, so that any dispute as to the right to vote could be at once promptly settled by reference to the books. At six o'clock, the door of the Ponsonby Hall was shut, and the Substitute Returning Officer, Mr. Cotter, proceeded to make up the lists, a group of some 40 persons patiently waiting outside, to ascertain the result. In a short time, Mr. Cotter made his appearance at the door, and announced that the successful candidates were:—Messrs. J. H. Field, 75; John Swales, 74 ; A. Boardman, 58 ; T. T. llasefield, 55 ; G. W. Owen, 50. The result waa received with cheers. The unsuccessful candidates polled as follows : —Messrs. F. Quick, 49; W. Thome, 47; D. F. Evans, 44; T. S. Evans, 36 ; C. Macindoe, 23; F. H. Lewisson, 14.