THE BRUCE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2578, 12 August 1903, Page 10

THE BRUCE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

The following ia a copy of the petition, bearing tlie signatures of over 1200 ' electors of Bruce, presented to the House of Representatives on. Wednesday by Mr. J. A. Millar, urging that licenses should be contiuuod in Bruce: —

Tho humble petition of the undersigned electors of the electorate of Bruce showeth:

1. That tlie licensing poll taken in the electorate of Biuce on the 25th dpy of November, 1902, at which the figures for no-license showed! a narrow majority over the required three-fifths of the votes recorded, was declared void after a patient and searching inquiry, keVd before tha stipendiary magistrate of the district. 2. That Besides the many irregularities actually inquired into and proven, including numerous instances of flagrant violation of tho secrecy of the ballot, and the closing of three several polling booths during the hours appointed for voting, other matters complained of affecting; the result were abandoned as not coming within the statutes regulating the inquiry, and particularly the allegation that numbers of miners and! non-residents and others not entitled to be on the roll had voted.

3. That the Licensing Acts clear'y show that it was the intention of the Legislature that nolicense should prevail in any district, only na the result of a poll " duly taken" determining that no licences should be granted in that district. No such determination has yet been; made by the electors of Bruce, wherefore it is just and proper that the licenses existing in, Bruce prior to the 25th day of Novembar, 1952, should continue in full force and effect in tha said electorate.

4. That your petitioners are confident that your Honourable House will decline to entertain any petition or proposal to validate are •ejection which has been proved a nullity through inherent in-egularitie3, and that a. grievous wrong would be inflicted by tha deprivation of licenses in such a manner. Wherefore your petitions humbly pray that, in view of the premises above set forth, your Honourable House will, if legislation bo required, ho pleased to enact that' the licenses -existing in tho licensing district of Bruce on the 2lth day of November, 1902, shall 'continue in force until a licensing poll under " The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, 1895," or any act or acts foi: the time being in force amending the sa.rc.-i. shall bo duly takan in tho licensing diairic* of Bruce.

And your oetitioners, aa in duty bound, wUI ever pi ay, etc.

We eve informed that a second instalmocb of the petition, which is now being largely signed, will be forwarded shortly

"If I must be a slave," said o nwmbci* of the Wanganui Farmers' Union on Saiurday, when cfecuesing the land tenure in Hie Ohutu block. "I will be a filave lo one- of my own colour: I am not going *X) be » slave to Maoris." He con-tended that, despite the assuranos given in the House of Representatives by Mr Carroll with regard to tha conditiciae of lease, it wouW be slavery for 3 man to take up land in the block. ' I have had land in tho Waimarino for yeori," he continued, "and thoueli .1 have paid for it, I have not got tho roatb I was pronged. Still, thoutrh that may bo, I object to bo a slave to Maoris."