Ohinemuri Licensing Election.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4381, 4 March 1909, Page 3

Ohinemuri Licensing Election.

As we briefly mentioned in our last issue, tbe special Court appointed to hear the petition to upset the Ohineinuri Licensing Poll sat at Waihi on Monday morning. The Bench comprised Messrs Burgess, Roberts, and Cutten, Stipendiary Magistrates. Messrs Clendon and Moresby appeared for petitioners, and Mr Millar for respondents. In delivering judgment, tbe Magistrates said they would have to confine themselves to the allegations as affecting only the Waihi Central booth. The whole trouble arose from the fact that the Returning Officer did not avail himself to the full extent of the provisions of the legislature, according to the Act of 1908, in taking the poll, and had underestimated the number of voters in Waihi.

The Court considered that no evidence had been adduced to show that any voter could not record a vote, nor was it proved that any voter shad seen how other voters were voting. It could not be successfully c-intended that the election was not an election by ballot. It was not shown that anyone was deterred or had abstained from voting on account of the coudition prevailing. Regarding the action of the Returning Officer, Mr Nathan, in opening an extra booth, the Court held that this did not involve a violation of anj principle of the Act, except, perhaps, the question re scrutineers, who were not present. At any rate, the action could not have affected the result.

The judgment concluded : —“We do not think the irregularities proved show that the poll was not conducted substantially in accordance with the provisions of the law, nor do we think that the result was affected thereby. The petition is dismissed with costs amounting to £97 16s. The official result of the poll as announced after a recount of the votes recorded was as follows : Continuance 2040 Reduction 2295 No-license 3340 No-license was carried by 86 over the required number.

THE OPINION OF THE TRADE,

As soon as the decision on the Ohinemuri licensing petition was known, a “ Star ” reporter waited upon Mr A. M. Myers, chairman of the Auckland Brewers and Wine and Spirit Merchants’ Association, and asked if he could give any indication of the probable monetary loss involved. “ The closing in June next of the 16 hotels that are affected by tbe decision,” said Mr Myers, “ will probably involve a loss to the owners of about £30,000.”

May I ask how many of these hotels are owned by the wholesale trade P Six. The others are owned by trust estates, widows, and other private individuals, on whom the 1090 will fall very heavily ; in some cases, indeed, it spells ruin. This disastrous result brings home to us in practical shape the injustice of confiscation without compensation. The decision is a surprise to us.”

Our reporter then interviewed Mr Palmer, the President of the Auckland Licensed Victuallers’ Association.

“ I can only,” said Mr Palmer, “ express my deep regret that so many of the retail trade should have such a heavy loss inflicted on them, under such unfair conditions ; especially as there Can be little doubt that the question of the retail price of beer played a prominent part at the poll, and the vote was really more of a retaliatory nature than based on any broad lines of principle. I do not hesitate to predict that when the people of the Ohineinuri district realise the true. effects of No-license, and find how rampant sly-grog and gambling dens, with their attendant evils will become, they will deeply regret their recent action.”

THE PROHIBITION VIEW.

Mr W. J. Macdetmott, secretary to the Auckland City League, was awaited upon by a representative ot the “Auckland Star ” this morning after the news was received regarding the result of the Ohineinuri petition. Mr Macdermott said : “ Our victory in the first instance was no surprise to me, because Waihi township has steadily voted no-license. We were sure of winning at Waihi, our disappointment was in not securing Gisborne as well.”

“ I thought the question of the price of beer was said to have been an important factor in deciding tbe last licensing poll at Ohinemuri ?”

“ I know that has been said, but it is a slur upon the people of Waihi. In 1899 Waihi voted 3127 for no-license, as against 2289 for continuance. You will remember that it was first announced as ' victory for no - license, but subseuently that proved not to be the case. \ 1902 and 1905 the boundaries of the 'ctorate were altered but Waihi town

1 kept up its three-fifths majority for again altered .back to the original ones, and then no-license was again carried.” ‘‘ I understand it means a big loss to a number of people ?” “We do not want to rejoice at anyone’s pecuniary loss in respect to the closing of the hotels ; far from it, but we do hold that the pecuniary loss of those in the trade is not to be compared to the gain it will be to the community as a whole to have the hotels closed.”

THE HOTELS TO BE CLOSED,

The hotels to be dosed as a result of the Court’s decision, as from June 30, 1 number 14, and are as follows ; At Waihi : The Central, Storling, Rob Roy, and Waihi, At Waikino : The Waikino. At Karangahake : The Tramway and Talisman, At Maokaytown ; The Mackaytown. At Waitekauri : The Waitekauri, At Golden Cross: The Golden Cross, At Paeroa : The Commercial, Paeroa, Criterion, and Royal Mail,