LIMITATION OF VOTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14377, 21 November 1908, Page 12

LIMITATION OF VOTING.

Sir,—There is a very interesting letter in. your issue of to-day—interesting not so. much from what the writer says as from the .spirit it reveals.. The writer wouJd hare all over 70 years of ago debarred from voting,! evidently because she feels that all who hayo reached that age of experience "are more than likely to vole against the ojxjn ■ bar. Would it* not be better to debar all from voting unless they were of the" same way of thinking as Tile writer also complains that owners of hotel properly in Port Chalmers, ljut resident in Dunodin, were debarred from voting' at Port'. We were put to considerable expense to resist this olaim, and only, succeeded by talcing legal steps {to have -.no act respected. Why do such as "1.5." refers to prefer to livo in the comfort and quiet of a no-license suburb of Dimedin rather than amongst- all the disorder and discomfort of a . neighbourhood where licensed bars abound? The answer is obvious atid for just the same reason a--largo majority of the'residents of Port Chalmers voted for quiet and'peaceful homes for themselves. The action of the Liquor party in getting the crew of the Opawa enrolled in Cbalmrvs shows that here, as in England,, the motto of. the trade is "Our trade our politics"; and, it is surprising to many that the Daily Times took no notice of this grave constitutional danfier. As it is, the action of the trade _ may have the effect of overriding the wish of the majority of the whole con. stituency, as the result of the second ballot for member hangs tjomhlin# in the balance, But what does that matter so lomr as the trade can. stave off for a little wliilo the carrying of no-liocnse?— I am, etc., D. Gain.