LOCAL OPTION POLLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13939, 22 December 1908, Page 5

LOCAL OPTION POLLS.

CORRECTED RETURNS.

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.

The following are the loeal option returns as corrected by the Alliance office, and brought up to date. They are the most complete returns which will be available until the cases now before the Court are finally disposed of. These returns indicate that a majority for no-license has been obtained in every province save in Nelson and Westland. The Dominion majority for no-license over the continuance vote is - 34,225. The original six no-license electorates have retained volicense and six other electorates secured nolicense at the last poll, making in all 12 no-license electorates in the Dominion. Eleven other electorates carried "reduction, and 40 gave a majority in favour of nolicense over the continuance vote. Fifteen electorates out of the 76 in the Dominion secured a majority for continuance. The following is a record of the voting in the four large centres as compared with the vote three years ago: — Auckland: Continuance vote increase, 105; no-license vote increased 2051; majority for no-license increased from 272 to 2218. Wellington: Continuance vote decreased 903; no-license .vote increased 12C0; vote increased from 10 minority to 2093 majority. Christchurch: Continuance vote decreased 939; no-license vote increased 1336; vote increased from 1854 minority to 423 majority. Duhedin: Continuance vote decreased 471; no-license vote increased 2481; increase from 50 majority to 2952 majority. OBTNEMUBI PETITION. [BY TELEGRAPB.OWN COB-RESPONDENT.] Waihi, Monday. The first step in connection with the inquiry asked for in the petition lodged at the Waihi Magistrate's Court by 80 electors of Ohinemuxi, praying that the recent local option poll may be declared void, was taken at the Magistrate's Court this morning, when an adjournment was asked for. The special Court constituted under the Licensing Act, 1908, for the purpose of hearing the petition, consisted of Mr. F. J. Burgess, S.M., chairman of the Special Court (Thames), Colonel J. M. Roberts. S.M. (Tauranga), and Mr. E. C. Gotten, S.M. (Hamilton). Messrs. E. J. Clendon (Thames) and T. A. Moresby (Paeroa) appeared on behalf of the petitioners, and Mr. E. Miller (Thames) for the. respondents. The latter explained that he appeared unofficially, so that no point could be raised later in support of the contention that they admitted the validity of the petition as already lodged. Mr. Clendon then applied for an adjournment, submitting that there had not been sufficient time since the lodging of the petition to gather evidence. Mr. Miller offered no objection, and the Court granted the application, adjourning the case until January 25, 1909.