THE LICENSING QUESTION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1156, 27 April 1894, Page 32

THE LICENSING QUESTION.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercaiigill, April 21. The Invorcargill licensing election petition enquiry closed to-day, Mr Rawson, S.M., reserving judgment until Wednesday next. Mr McDonald, for the respondents, while admitting irregularities in the conduct of the poll, urged that the Magistrate was not called on to give an adverse decision unless these affected the result of the election, of which, in this instance, there was no fear. Gisborne, April 21. Sir Robert Stout, who called at Gisborno by tho Taluno to-day, was interviewed by a deputation of the Gisborno Temperance League and thanked for his efforts on behalf of tho cause of temperance. In a chat over tho effect of the accent elections, ho advised tho party to inculcate temperanco sentiments in tho community by means of meetings, and tho spread of literature. Ho said that if tho Government would not bring in a Bill to give the people tho full expression of their wishes, he should do so. They did not want Parliament to declaro for Prohibition, but that it should merely give tho right to the people to do what they desired. Ho said there should have been only ono paper for tho committee and tho local option poll, and that many of the votes which wore counted as informal should not have been so counted. Sir Robert Stout suggested that tho licensing poll should be held simultaneously with and at tho same booths as tho goneral election. Ho saw no reason that there should not be a poll on Prohibition whenever thero was a general Parliamentary election. If this wero dono there would bo a great saving in trouble and expense, and there would not bo the difficulty in getting people to go to the poll.