LICENSING POLL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22744, 3 December 1935, Page 7

LICENSING POLL

ANALYSIS BY ALLIANCE LAST WORD NOT YET WRITTEN ’■ At the request, of.the Otago.United Temperance Reform Council, Mr H. S. Adams has drawn up for publication the following statement on the result of last week’s poll;—< J • : The result of the poll is not a, surprise to the Nejv Zealand : Alliance.: ' li was Hot to be expected that the prohibition issue could be successful, and, so far as the alliance is concerned, the retention of the no-licence districts was the more important issue. As all the no-Hcencc districts have retained. their status the result in this respect is very satisfactory. On the national issue the vote is disappointing, but it is not much more adverse than was anticipated. The alliance fought the poll under great disadvantages and these are reflected in the voting. The economic depression gave greater force than usual to the arguments regarding revenue and unemployment, and America’s great retreat must have been a deciding factor with many electors. Of these two influences the depression has made itself felt on the political issues as well, and notwithstanding the example of Great Britain in returning a National Government, _ we : have experienced the greatest political change of fortune in New . Zealand’s history. The, defeat which prohibition has suffered at tie polk is neither so heavy nor so revolutionary a* the change in politics. The voting on the local issue in the nolicenoe districts is the most significant feature of the poll. For many year* our opponents have claimed that nolicence was a failure. No doubt it is not a perfect system, but at least it may be conceded that the residents of these districts are aware both of its weaknesses and of its benefits. Here is a simple issue based on the actual experience of the electors voting ou the question. Of the figures available at the time of writing, seven out of 11 districts show a majority for no-licenee, and the combined votes of all the 11 districts show a majority of several 'thousands against re-licensing. If proof is needed that the abolition of the public bar is beneficial in New Zealand, it can be found in these figures. The middle issue of State Purchase and Control has again failed to secure more than a nominal vote, and it seems even to be losing the interest and support of the press. In the circumstances it might well be struck out of the ballot paper, and in its place the local no-licence issue could with advantage be revived in all districts. Notwithstanding, the result of the national poll, the last word on prohibition has not yet been written. No one has ever defended the results of over-indul-gence in liquor, and so long as these results continue to be manifested, so long will the question be agitated until a solution is achieved.