LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12405, 21 November 1908, Page 2

LOCAL OPTION POLL.

[United Press Association.! Aucklanc, Nov. 20. In an interview with a leading re presentative of the brew9ry trade, a '.'Herald" reporter was to-day furnished with an eitimate of thn fiuancial effect of the rtisuU of the licons'. mg poll in the Auckland d'Stric and Ohiaemuri owing to the degiw of uncertainty still existing as to whether no licsnss or reductiou has been earned; only appruxiiuai figures can bo givon in some cases. It is known that in EUe.i snd Ohineniuri no liceos9 is carried, aod tbereforn tbe loss to the brewers in these districts can be gauged. The capital valuV of tho hotels as licansecl bouses in Otiiuemuri is rstimated at £10.000, nnd of tbo four hotela in EJen at £35.000. The total iO3S from tbe closing of these hotels however, ha 3to De calculated, less the value of the properties as unlicensed house?, wbic& would? probably amount to- about half the capital valiif. Tbis would reduce tha loss to tho brewera owing to no lioense having been' enrriod in Eden and Ohinemuri to £67,500. As far as Auckland City, Parn:-.11, Man ikau, and Waitemata are -concerned, assuming tiiat reducion has teen carried in each, the number of hotels- to'be~reduc3d must be at least threa in tho Auckland City, and at least two each in the c-th«r three dis trict, nam«ly a tjtal of ten. At thn must there can be twenty reductions, the exf-a ten all being in Auckland Uity. If the Licensing Committee deuides to teduca on the lowe3t basis, the capital value of the ten hotels closed will be £00.000, and if th« ,full quota of tweo'ty hotels sbould be closed, tho capital value loss would, ba ' £120,000. less, of coursp, tho value of tbe properties as unlicensed houses. At the l.west estiinite, therefore, the ksa to the bra Aery interest by the carrying of no linensa in Eden and Ohioemuri and of reduction in tbe ofcber Auckland districts iray be estimated at £17,500 on the assumption that t-e hotels which lose their liuensas realise half their capital value. This loss. ho*'oi'.*r, must be increased when tbs loss of trade is taken into account. All t'oings considered, therefore, fio Auckland luv.vera stfind to ios? h capital timount which .£100,00') will not fully ropre-ent. 'Since the aiiovo figures wera. ootained, it has t-riiuspired tha.t: continuance oni not reduction may be found to have oeen c irried ii: Waitcm^ta. Ttiis, of course, would lessen the sggfpca'l-e loss stated, though only two hotels are concerned.