THE PONSONBY LICENSING ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9015, 30 March 1888, Page 5

THE PONSONBY LICENSING ELECTION.

THE PROHIBITIONISTS DEFEATED. The licensing election for Ponsonby took place yesterday, the previous one, in which the Prohibitionists were victorious, having been declared void. Tho contest was carried on with great keenness, but with good feeling. From the Ponsonby Club Hotel the Union Jack floated throughout the day. Four brewers were on the ground, Messrs. L. Ehrenfried, .Tagger, Seccombe, and Suiter, and were aided by Messrs. Moss Davis, Mowbray, and others interested in tho liquor traffic. On tho temperance side were Messrs. Alexander Thorne, Jack, Hutchison, Caradus, Cook, Gregory, W. F. Judson, G. Plummer, and others. Someladiesofthe Women's Christian Temperance Union also assisted. Both parties had booths outside the polling-place, the Ponsonby Hall. Messrs. Alex. Thorne and Banbury attended to the Temperance one, and Messrs. S. Meyers and S. E. Hughes to the other. One feature of' the election was the number of ladies who voted. The arrangements at the entrance of the hall were very objectionable. On one side of the portal, inside the vestibule, was a well-known brewer, and on the other his partner, being kept in company by Air. Glover (of the New Zealand Alliance) ana another temperance man, and voters, on entering the vestibule, had to run this gauntlet, and the pestering with " tickets" from both sides. The object of the ballot is to enable every voter to exercise the vote freely and unfettered, and the Returning Officer or the police should have cleared the inner approaches of the polling place of " touters" on either side. Several of the ladies bitterly complained of having to pass in to the poll in this fashion, and to be subjected to these importunities and comments, and steps should be taken to prevent a repetition of such arrangements. When the poll closed at six o'clock (or rather some four minutes before the hour, according to the contention of some present), the general impression was that the " Moderates" had won. It was between seven and eight o'clock before the result was known. Meanwhile a great crowd, numbering some 500, assembled outside the building discussing in groups the situation and the question of prohibition. The following was the result of the polling, tho "Moderates" being returned :— C. S. Wright 323 I). B. McDonald ... ... ... 320 T. T. Masefield 317 E. T. Dufaur ... ... ... 311 J. T. Armitage 302 The Temperance party : Dr. Knight, 292 ; S. J. Ambury, 287 ; Sir W. Fox, 282 ; John Banbury, 279 ; George Gregory. 278. The temperance party state, that considering the expenditure of money and extensive trade influences operating, they polled as well as could be expected, and thoy will contest the ward for prohibition .next year again. There are about 800 on the roll, and it was calculated 600 would poll, and that whichever party polled 340 would win. The temperance party polled 253 " plumpers," and the publicans 273. Out of 291 promises the temperance people polled 253. On this occasion they polled 20 votes more than at the previous election. Mr. S. Y. Collins was Returning Officer, and the scrutineers for the moderates were Messrs. Duke and Stichbury, for the temperance party Messrs. W. Hodge and Field.