LICENSING POLLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7979, 9 December 1911, Page 1

LICENSING POLLS

INCREASE FOR RESTORATION S TRADE SATISFIED WITH RESULTS. So far as tho Wellington Licensed Victuallers’ Association is concerned, tho polling on. tlio licensing question is regarded as satisfactory. This opinion was expressed yesterday by Mr .John Beveridge, the president, who said ho was very gratified at the results, which quite boro out tho anticipations formed as a result of careful organisation. He noted with satisfaction that tho restoration vote in no-liccnso areas had increased, this' occurring even where there was no ‘Trade” organisation, at Invercargill. Trade organisation, added Mr Beveridge, had been much better than at previous elections; the plan of campaign had been better thought out. The result had demonstrated the accuracy of. their calculations. . Tho vote for continuance had shown, as far as the figures went, air increase of over the figures for 190 S. This was something they wore all proud of achieving. "I am surprised, however/' said Mr Beveridge, "at tho meagreness of the poll. That 25 per cent, of tho electors did not come to tho poll on such a momentous issue shows that something is wrong. Tho day could not bo blamed. In my opinion there should be some form of compulsory voting on questions like these, where there are such interests at stake. Either that or the majority should be - 1 "" 1 ‘ i not on the votes actually polled'but" on the number of voters on the roll.” SECOND BALLOT ACTIVITY. THE PROHIBITIONTST CAMPAIGN. FOR BARE MAJORITY. "A special meeting of the New Zealand Alliance is being Judd. to-night' to arrange lor’ what wo believe will bo the final campaign,” slated the, secretary of the Alliance, the Rev. John Dawson, to a "New Zealand Times” representative yesterday .afternoon., “Wo shall probably issue a manifesto in th morn big,” “You are /starting early I-"- tho next election/’ the r. ; representative. . '-"Oh, Wivaro going, to do. our best to influence the second /bailey, fights,” replied the Alliance soordto?- 1 :- "Our feeling is that the majority in favour of tho abolitibn of the traffic demand? that next session of Parliament slulll remove the handicap that - is now placed upon the people. We are going ‘to use all our powers to influence the second ballot, and seeing’that tho vote for national prohibition is so large, that is our reason for immediate action. While we were disappointed, that no more -electorates went for no-license we feel very hopeful that we need .only one more stride at the same ratio of progress to emancipate this country from the liquor traffic” THE THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY. J RESOLUTIONS OF ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE. A special meeting of the New Zealand Alliance was - held yesterday evening to make preparations for what they regard as the final campaign. Tho meeting was largely attended and very enthusiastic. In view' of the fact that so many second ballots have to be taken next week-the following, resolution was unanimously adopted:— m • . ‘'That in the opinion of th© executive of the New Zealand Alliance the time has come for emphasising and enforcing the reiterated protests of the no-licenso party against the three-fifths majority inquired for tli© carrying of no-license and national prohibition as unjust, undemocratic and intolerable. . ■ "That the executive reaffirms the demand of the party for the application to Sir the issues of the bedrock democratic principle of majority rule; and that it considers that no candidate at the second ballot to be decided next week is deserving of the support of the party, which polled more than 280,000 votes on Thursday, who insists upon the retention of tho oppressive handicap of the threefifths majority/' | MR MYERS’ IMPRESSIONS MAJORITY FOR RESTORATION IN THREE DISTRICTS. PROHIBITIONISTS SANGUINE. SPECIAL TO THE “TIMES.” AUCKLAND, December 8. Mr Arthur M. Myers, M.P., interviewed to-day in regard to tho. result of tlio licensing poll, said it was clear from the vote recorded that tho majority of the people were still in favour of a regulated licensed trade, and were not prepared for the drastic change advocated by the prohibitionist party. The fact that in Master-ton, Ashburton, aud Ohiuemuri a majority' of votes had been cast in favour of restoration, should open tho eyes even of tho prohibitionists to the w’idsom of requiring a substantial majority to effect a change in tho established order of things, so as ’ to avoid tho unsettiemont and inconvenience attaching to tho liability to frequent fluctuations. Asked how ho accounted for the largo vote recorded in favour of national prohibition. Mr Myers said that until it was ascertained how many' votes had actually been cast on both sides of this question, and how many of tho electors had failed to record their votes, ho thought it would bo premature to venture an opinion on the subject. The vote cast for national prohibition would giro loading members of tho trade considerable food for thought. Tho opinion of the prohibition party on tho results of yesterday’s voting was sought to-day from the Rev. J. Cocker, president, of tho Auckland City' Nolicenso League. He said the result of yesterday’s voting was based upon a long and continuous education of the people upon tho no-license question. It was part of tho trend of public opinion towards a sober State. Every poll recorded in the past had been a growth upon tho one preceding it. which showed that more and more the people were voting for no-license. It was felt that local no-lieense had been an educational factor in preparing the people for the wider issue of national prohibition. It was for this reason that tho no-lioense leaders asked that the national question bo placed upon, tho ballot papers, so that

tlio people might vote upon tho question from a national standpoint.” ‘‘Tho vote recorded yesterday,” remarked Mr Cocker, “'emphasises tho correctness of tlio opinions thus expressed. Tho returns which have been.- received tip .to the present give a vote of over 55 per cent, for national prohibition, At this rate of progress tho next vote will mean a dry New Zealand!” LEADER DISAPPOINTED WITH LOCAL OPTION POLL. PLEASED WITH VOTING ON I NATIONAL ISSUE. PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, December 8. Mr R. French, chairman of the executive of the Auckland Prohibition League, expressed himself, in an interview with a reporter, as disappointed with tho result of tlio local option poll. While expecting a large vote for national prohibition. lie was of opinion that electors who wished to see national prohibition would like to see tho local vote come into operation at the expiration of the present term from which tho licenses wore granted. Turning to the question of national prohibition, Mr French said ho thought that the results were magnificent, showing unmistakably that tho people of New Zealand desired to get rid of a traffic that was so destructive to the true wellbeing of a nation.

THE NATIONAL POLL

TOR PROHIBITION 245.110 AGAINST .. 193,698 These totals show- a deficiency of 18,173 in tho number of votes require*! to carry prohibition. Details of the poll on the issue of national prohibition received up to tha hour of going to press uro as under:—

THE LOCAL OPTION POLL ' FURTHER FIGURES} Returns received yesterday in conneo* tioii;Tvith the local option poll were aa under:—

1 « i! if -! I g S' I ■i g ■5 ■1 •! .s r j 7 P 3 3 ‘i fe ■! -1 K i i •! J | ? 3 i P 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 \ ■S' i; a i i f S * 1 « 1 1 5 i B 1 1 HI ■Ml i! S * I I ! .! ! 1 ? S ? ? I ! - s ! * ii si f S o ! S ? * * g J ! I f i I 1 1 1 no !l s g 1! 9 ! S » ? 3 1 : § i > || . £ - 1 ■j cic/i I £ i 1 1 IP. Hi I •3. "1 X £ '°1 v-.-S 52 £ If ip .S3 &lc Jill III llt-i i 1 * •3-e II -SS 1 | ‘ £ \ j 1 1 ili 1 i i III! i 1

Notinuance. license. Hawke’s Bav , . 3,591 2,8((6 Waipawa ..... .. 3.001 3,020 Westland (corrected) . . 2,967 2,21-4 Wakatipu „ 3,032 2,003 Otago Central . .2,818 2,69 V DISTHICT5 PREVIOUSLY UNDEE NO-LICENSE. THE EETUENS COMPLETE. Notion. License/ ■Wellington South .... 2993 3337 T.fasterion .... 3007 2820 Wellington Suburbs .... .... 2493 3269 Grey Lynn .... 2322 4702 Oaraaru .... 2355 3238 .Ashburton .... 3011 2586 Mataura ... 2362 2333 Ohincmun .... 3049 2947 .... 2012 2550 Invercargill .... 3323 3842 Bruco .... 2357 3123 Eden .... 2012 1839