LICENSING POLL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 8

LICENSING POLL.

■ CONTINUANCE LEAD. TOTAL NOW 1640 VOTES. SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND. UNOFFICIAL RESULT OF VOTING. MAINLY FOR STATE CONTROL [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Friday. The returns of the polling in New Zealand on the licensing question now show a majority of 1301 in favour of continuance. These are the final results of the preliminary count, details being as follows: — Total. Continuance ... 231,258 State Purchase ... 30,477 261,735 Prohibition ... 260,434 Majority against Prohibition 1,301 There will probably be no alteration of these figures until the returns from the absent voters' permits and seamen's rights are received. Unofficial figures for the poll of the soldiers in England were received by representatives of the Trade and of the Alliance in Wellington to-day, and, although the figures are not official, there is every reason to believe they are correct. The voting of the soldiers was as follows: Total. Continuance ... 142 State Purchase ... 230 372 Prohibition 33 Majority against Prohibition!' 339 If this record is correct the majority against prohibition is increased to 1640. FINAL RETURN FOR RAGLAN. The revised figures for the Raglan electorate are as Continuance, 2261; State Purchase, 497 Prohibition, 2639. Majority against prohibition, 119. ABSENT VOTERS AND SOLDIEBS. ATTITUDE ON APRIL PROPOSAL. The final result of the licensing poll now depends on the return of the votes cast by the holders of absent voters' permits and seamen's rights, and by soldiers. In view of the keen speculation regarding this factor, the details of the corresponding returns in connection with the poll last April may be of interest. It is estimated that there were 17,800 absent voters and seamen's permits issued, and that 2000 votes by soldiers abroad remain to be counted. Last April a total of 16,207 absent voters' permits and seamen's rights were issued. All were not exercised, the total valid votes being 12,671, of which 5644 were cast for continuance and 7027 foe prohibition. ibis showed a vote of 55.46 per cent, for prohibition, compared with 51.34 per cent. in the vote of those who were polled directly in their home districts. The vote of soldiers abroad showed a total of only io.lß per cent, for prohibition. Presuming that the votes are distributed in the same proportion as in April', the 17,800 absent votes may be regarded as comprising 9872 for prohibition and 7928 against, while the soldiers' vote would be 364 for prohibition and 1606 against, a net majority of 672 for prohibition. As the latest return of the polling in New Zealand shows a majority of 1301 against prohibition, the final resultby this speculative calculation may be a majority of 729 against prohibition. . COUNTING THE VOTES. > DELAY OF PROCEDURE. ) ; NO CERTAINTY FOR DAYS. It is impossible that the final result of . the polling in New Zealand on the licens- " ing issues can be known until after the Christmas holidays. The delay will be due to the magnitude of the counting to J be done in the four cities. With regard * to suburban and country licensing dis- > tricts, the results may be known about 1 Christmas eve. At each of the large cen- > tres, however, the three urban electorates ' form one licensing area, with one return- ' ing officer directing the poll, though it ' was taken in separate electoral pollingplaces. In the case of Auckland, one offii cer had charge of the City East electoral i poll and also of the combined poll for the : three electorates. He has to conduct the t official count for the' Auckland East Pari liamentary election, which cannot ~be be- , gun until Monday, and will take fully two • days, and he will then have to direct three , separate licensing counts for the . respective polls in the three electorates. As his duty is a statutory one, _it cannot be delegated, so that there is a prospect of about six days' work, with the holiday season breaking into the middle of it, before the anxiety of the public as to the decision of the allimportant issue can be satisfied. Similar conditions, of course, apply to the other three cities. The final returns of the voting by soldiers outside the Dominion are not expected for some time.