THE LICENSING POLLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7978, 8 December 1911, Page 6

THE LICENSING POLLS

The outstanding feature of the polls taken In New Zealand yesterday on the licensing question is undoubtedly the strength of the vote for national prohibition. So far as the local option results go, on the returns to hand this morning the position appears ■to be unchanged. That is to say, the twelve districts that wore without licenses havo decided to remain so, but no fresh areas are added to the so-called “dry” territory. It is too soon, and the returns are too incomplete, to attempt anything in the nature of analysis or comparison. Indeed, comparison is only possible in reference to the no-li-censo figures, and it appears conclusive that the wider issue has quite dwarfed tho local question in the consideration of tho majority of voters. The fact established is that the agitation—lncreasingly successful at each poll—against the liquor traffic has now been turned against liquor itself, and it is not unreasonable to anticipate in tho comparatively near future that sixty per cent, of tho people will decide that it is an offence to drink alcoholic beverages. The amazing thing, of course, is that while all this voting has been advancing by leaps and bounds, the consumption of liquor has increased oven faster. There is something about this we do not pretend to understand.