CONTEST MAY BE AVOIDED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17780, 25 February 1926, Page 7

CONTEST MAY BE AVOIDED.

SIX NOMINEES FOR LICENSING COMMITTEE

NO ELECTION HELD FOR PAST FIFTEEN YEARS

Although Mr T. \Y. Reese, the Returning Officer for the Christchurch Licensing District, has received six nominations for the five seats on the Licensing Committee, it is expected that Mr P. L. Davies, one of the nominees, will agree to withdraw his nomination and thus obviate the necessity for holding an election. Mr Reese stated this morning that the following nominations had been received:—Messrs Henry Holland, M.P., R. M. Speirs. K. Mathieson, 11. H. Wauchop. W. E. Simes, and P. L. Davies. With the exception of Mr Davies all were members of the old committee. Nominations will close on Saturday next at 10 a.m. and unless qne of the nominees withdraws, an election, which is estimated to cost the City Council over .€2OO, must take place. Mr Davies is at present in Dunedin and is not expected to return to Christchurch until Saturday night, w’hich will be after the closing time for nominations, but a member of the committee informed a reporter that Mr Davies was being approached and asked to withdraw his name and there was every prospect that he would do so. The present committee had worked very amicably together and there was no necessity for any changes being made. Messrs Holland, Speirs and Mathieson represented the Prohibition Party, and Messrs Wauchop and Simes represented the trade and the moderates. The chairman of the committee was Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M. “ The committee has made a thorough personal inspection of every one of the forty-seven hotels in Christchurch, and knows the conditions to a nicety,” said the committeeman. There is absolutely no occasion to disturb the existing balance, especially as there has not been an election held since 1912. During the whole of that time there has been no trouble whatever on the committee.