LOCAL OPTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4822, 27 November 1902, Page 5

LOCAL OPTION.

x WELLINGTON CITY, Among the rumours afloat yesterday was one that a recount of figures had shown a majority in the city in favour of reduction of licenses. This is incorrect. The figures and the result remain as stated by us yesterday. The valid votes recorded numbered 15,115 and the invalid votes 769. To achieve reduction it would have been necessary that 7553 votes should bo cast for reduction. The number adtualtly obained for reduction was 7313, more than 200 short of the requirements. Including the large percentage of papers which for one reason or another were void, the number of votes recorded was 15,884. NEWTOWN. ’ ' Thp complete returns in the local option poll for Nowtown were made up yesterday, and show that no-license has been carried in that electorate by 17 votes. The figures are:— Continuance . Reduction ... No-liconse ... , ~ 3008 1 The number of valid papers returned were 4984, so that on the three-fifths majority principle, 2991 votes were required to carry no-license. . This number has been 1 exceeded by 17 votes. THE HUTT. The complete result of the local option poll in the Hutt electorate is not yet available. At one o’clock this' morning there was one more return to come in. At that hour the record of votesshowed that the numbers cast had been:— Continuance Reduction ... No-license 1920 This leaves the position unaltered in the district. It is not anticipated that the delayed return can make any alteration. OTHER DISTRICTS.”. The result of the local option in some parts of the colony is not yet quite clear. As the returns stand at present, the districts which have carried nolicense are:—Newtown, Mataura, Ashburton, Clutha, and possibly Chal-

raers. It was thought yesterday that prohibition bad been carried in Awarua, Bruco and Kaiapoi, but this appears to have been premature. Invercargill was nine short of prohibition, and Awarua about thirty. At Kaiapoi, reduction, not prohibition, was carried. It is understood that tho following districts havo also polled a majority for reduction :—Eginont, Grey Lynn, Caversham, Napier, Riccarton, Dunedin and possibly Franklin. In addition to the details of tbs polling in various places publislipd yesterday, tho following fresh and amended returns havo been announced: —

Clutha—Restoration’ 1311, non-restoraa t>on, 2174. PRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, November 26. Tlio actual result of the local option'’ votes for Bruco will probably not bo' known before Saturday ; as some of tho booths had not returned the number of voters: A careful examination baaed on tbo voting in the Parliamentary elections appears to show that there aro CO short of carrying prohibition.The voting was —Continuance 1558, re-’ Auction 2099, no license 2284. It is said that an attempt will bo’ made to upset the city local optiotf poll, on rim ground .that ballot papers in two booths wero not delivered simottaueonsly. Tho actual result of the] vote at Chalmers will not bo known for" a couple of days. - Locally it is, acknowledged that tho present margin IS; too close to justify sanguine hopes a£> being able to retain the no-licenso nuts’ jority. ; Tho corrected local option figures for Caversham are as follows:—Continuance 2395, reduction SBSG, no-lioensK 213 G; total votes 5420; reduction dalP ried. I INVERCARGILL, November 26, j The latest figures indicate that' prnJ hihition will be defeated in-Awarua pj* about thirty votes. ’ ■ TtJp to the timo of wiring nothing hop] transpired regarding a Scrutiny at the] Invercargill licensing poll,, in which m is aimouufced that prohibition was withH ing nine of being carried. Should tho.’ figures ho sustained or altered eitheri vay it is almost certain further pro-:; ceediugs by the parties interested will bo taken, each declaring known of irregularities that should upset tins’ polL ASHBURTON, November 26. It is likely that an. attempt will W made to upset tbo no-license vote, ontho ground that tho law has been violated in the preparation of tho rolls.

Continuance KeiLuc- . lion. ■ No license. ‘YV’altoniata 1735 1131 1102 Grey Lynn 1820 2103 2167 Waikato 2-178 1333 1501 Franklin 1449 1018 1675 Hamilton ... 2178 1333 1504 Thames 1058 1756 2063 Waiapu ... 2293 1970 2565 Taranaki ... 23-17 1542 2020 Palea ••• ... 101S 1514 1850 Hawke’s Bay ;;; 1030 1157 1417 Oroua ' 1506 1078 1-186 Carterton "015 ;;; 1754 1245 1727 Grcyinouth 1397 1523 Buller 1 ... 2535 1115 1430 Avon ;;; 1898 2021 2186 cnristclmrcH 7880 7478 7850 Courtenay 1309 2507 1639 Hurumii .w ..: 1230 977 1101 ICaiapoi 1006 2137 2313 Tuapeka 1562 1143 1277 Matanra 1874 2370 29-44 , Marsderi .;. 1738 1709 2032