A HUGE MAJORITY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12840, 9 December 1911, Page 4

A HUGE MAJORITY.

That the No-licenso issue has been etitirely overshadowed by the vote for national prohibition is. abundantly I clear. Tho "N.Z. Times," in a ■"brief article yesterday, remarking tint . tho outstanding feature of the polfe .'is undoubtedly the strength of the vote for national prohibition, states thajjf "there is something about this we do not understand." The fact that a majority of about 70,000 in New Zealand voted against the traffic will awaken tht! imagination and arrest the attention of the, civilised world. Whether or "not the novelty of tho proposed situation captured the enormous vote or that h was indicative of the rising tide of conviction wo do not feel at preseiit able absolutely to determine. Gerifa'iii it is that at last election some 600 majority votes were- cast against the Trade locally, and that this has ! been doubled on the 1911 poll. It will be of interest to await the actions of tho new Parliament bn the licensing question. Certain it is that a great effort will be made on the part of tho Temperance party to reduce the 3-sths now required to a simple majority. Had the present law's proviso beenp* per cent, even, from the polling to hand it istlear that the New' Zealand Alliance would have won the day. No doubt the realisation of the near sKjtye to the liquor trade at this poll will cause it to make an intense struggle J three years hence. The Prohibition; party. also have dembnstratedtheii' ability' and resourse^^d with two such parties highly organised; Jind ,iMentS:«|n winning, a great battle it is likely that wo shall WitnVss5 the* greatest ebntey \on a moral ,wlnch has ever taken place on. side of. the -line."