LOCAL OPTION

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 29

LOCAL OPTION

«•* LITIGATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, March 4. . The Full Court has delivered important decisions in regard to applications for writs of prohibition.- againsi the licencing; Court dealing with the licenses. -The act specifically provided that wher-e not more than a three-fifths majority of y,otes wa6 cast in favour of no-license, which was not carried, the votes could be counted for reduction. In the Allowrie electorate the three-fifths majority was exceeded. The court found that the act did not provide for cases where the three-fifths majority was exceeded, and therefore reduction was not carried in Allowrie. The . court granted a writ of prohibition. In. the second 'case three brewery firms asked for a writ of prohibition on the grounds that reduction was not carried according to the act, arid if it was carried it was not properly gai&etted, and that the act failed to make it clear how the nolicense vote should be added in favour of reduction." In this^ ca&e the court overruled the points raised, and refused a writ of prohibition. March 5. The Local Option Court has made a beginning of enforcing the reduction vote, i and has ordered the closing of four hotels in the Marrickville and Petersham elector ates.