LOCAL OPTION POLLING.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2263, 8 December 1896, Page 3

LOCAL OPTION POLLING.

NAPIER, December 7. The returning officer for Napier has recounted the licensing poll in a different manner, and' now declares it as follows : — Continuance, 2086; reduction, 1769 ; no license, 1627; vote, 3970. WELLINGTON, December 7. The following is the result of the local option poll for Wellington Suburbs :— Continuance, 2000; reduction, 1649 ; prohibition, 1613. . NELSON, Dec6rnber7, The Rev. Mr Gray 1 , president of the Nelson Prohibition Council, writes to the Mail stating that while the Licensing Act of 1895 does not allow the votes polled for prohibition to be added to the votes polled 1 for reduction, the niimbers published in Saturday's Mail feeem to point to the conclusion that the whole j of the reduction votes polled have not yet been counted. He points out that the strong probability is that from 80 per cent, to 90 per cent, of those who' voted no license voted also for reduotiori, and if that number be deducted from the published reduction vote it: lepves between 400 and 500 only who voted for reduction merely, while the general opinion expressed is that a very much heavier vote was cast for reduction' than for prohibition. If this be the case the bulk of the 1010 votes will need to be added to the 1311, while this will probably • result in a reduction vote l being carried. Presumably the same applies to other paTts of the colony. CHRISTCHUROH, December 7." The returning officer for Ohristchureh announces that there is a majority in favour of the number of licenses' being^ .continued. There has* been a good deal of misconception on the matter. The official declaration of the local option poll for Christchurch shows that continuance was carried. The votes recorded were — continuance, 8255; reduction, 5953 ; no license* 5261 ; total number of voters, 14J534. . The complete local option' returns for Riccarton are — continuance, 2108 ; reduction, 992; no license, 949. DUNEDIN, December 7. The Returning Officer for Bruce announces that at the licensing poll nothing was carried, and licenses remain as at present. The voting was as follows : — Continue, 1411 ,; reduction, j 1428 ; no license, 1541. The number of voters was 3007. Waikouaiti— Continuance, 1632 ; reduction, 1187 ; no license, 1278. , Waihemo— Continuance, 1879 ; reduction, 1103 ; no license, 1291 ; informal, 106 * ■ -'■ ■■■■■■■■- ■ ■'■■■■ '■■.'■