THE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 34

THE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

RANGITIKEL AND LYTTELTON. WELLINGTON,. December 12. The local option poll for the Eangitikei j and Lyttelton electorates will be taken on the" same day as the parliamentary elections. I It ia- understood that the Crown law officers J are of opinion that the local' option poll taken Mider these circumstances will be legal. NO-LICENSE CARRIED IN CLTJTHA. The figures in the Clutha licensing polL , now stand as follows: j " -Continuation, 1395"; reduction, 1909 ; no- j license,. 2170 ; informal,, 143. The Chasland • return- is included in the above, but the returning officer is not in a position to make an official declaration! of the result till he receives the official return from the deputy at ..Chnriauds.. The. total number of votes is 3752 (wfiich is tlte'mimber of votes recorded an favour of the candidates, as well as 26 'informal voltes in" the parliamentary election). ;3from this must De deducted' the number o£ .informal votes ia the licensing ballot — 143, — "which leaves tlie number of voters whose votes were recorded as 3609. Three-fifths of this is 2166, and, a bare majority 1805. It will Therefore ba seen that reduction is carried, toy 101 votes, and no-license by fouv votes. ! The returning officer (Mr Grigor) f-aw from a cursory examination of the telegraphed ad' | ■rices that the result was fo be very close, and j he is consequently taking great pains to check ! and verify every return. lit. nearly every case, however, the original advices were found i xo bo correct, the chief omission being the j neglect of- the- deputy to count the votes for ! reduction. The injunction " strike out the top line " ha* been so much impressed on the community of late that possibly the deputies forgot that votes cast in this way counted j for reduction as well as 1 no-license. — Clutha Leader: . ] The result of the present poll will be that the hotel at Pufcerau.will now lose its license, | •which will run out on 30th- June, and at the j - next triennial licensing poll, if the present j act is still in operation, a, straight issue will be placed before the people no-license or restoration of licensee. The wholesale license at Tapauui will also go with the carrying of mo-license on this occasion, as the amending act of 1895 corrects the anomalous position in regard to. wholesale licenses existent under the original act of 1893". and makes it clear that if "no-license" shall: have been carried, then thereafter no licenses of any descriotion shall be granted, until after another poll has t been token. — Free Press. : ' " COMPLETED RETURNS. Completed returns are coming to hand riowly. In the following - the- official figures -are given where possible: — AUCKLAND,

o i g « Licensing s .2 g' District. .2 o „ n esu it. o c o O P5 fc Auckland City 6839 6229 5785 Contimiance Thames .. 2064 2080 2359 Continuance Parnell ' .. 2391 1902 1723 Continuance Waiapu. .. 2417 1911 2558 Continuance Manukau .. 1963 1602 1327 Continuance Franklin .. 1727- 1551 1746 Continuance TARANAKI. ' Taranaki .. 2622 1636 1872 Continuance Egmont. .. 2118 ]654 1956 Continuance Hawera .. l£o3 1417 1707 Continuance HAWKE'S BAY. Napier ... 1933 1797 1684 Continuance Waipa-wa .. 2015 1236 1703 Continuance Hawke's Bay 77 532 611 Void WELLINGTON. Manawatu .. 1683 1171 1426 Continuance Masterton .. 1861 1668 1988 Continuance Wellington C 7319 6124 5190 Continence Wellington S 1939 1859 2120 Continuance Pahiatua .. 1400 1013 1092 Continuance .Wanganui .. 2795 1731 2162 Continuance NELSON. Buller >» 1028 933 1014 Continuance WESTLAND. G-rey »« ..2734 1148 990 Continuance CANTERBURY. . Ashley .. 1725 995 1285 Continuance tficcarton .. 1551 1020 1352 Continuance Avon .. .. 2187 1504 1592 Continuance Christchurch .C 888 D 6353 6533 Continuance Tiniaru. .. 1938 1868 1922 No proposal Behvyn „ 1706 1264 1462 Continuance Kaiupoi .. 1715 1945 2285 Continuance Waitaki. .. 1799 1196 1510 Continuance v Ashbnrton .. 1901 1727 2021 Continuance Geraldine .. 1882 1114 1490 Contim'.ance Waitaki- .. 1799 1196 1519 Continuance

, vjljL.a.ixv/. Dunedin ' .. 6864 6944 6774 No proposal Brucer .. .. 1519 1638 1967 No proposal Caversham «. 2351 1974 1936 Continuance Invercargill .. 2228 2172 2300 .Continuance Tuapeka .. 1810 1143 1277 Continuance Oamaru .. 1768 IS9B 1975 Reduction Wakatipu .. 1993 1030* 1256 Continuance Waikouaiti .. -1454 1196 1495 Continuance Taieri .. .. 1603 1560 160fi No proposal Mataura „ 1775 1859 £192 Continuance