LOCAL-OPTION POLL: NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED, ETC., IN EACH DISTRICT TAKEN UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF "THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS SALE CONTROL ACT, 1893," IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1894 (RETURN SHOWING THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1894 Session I, H-13

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1894. NEW ZEALAND.

LOCAL-OPTION POLL: NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED, ETC., IN EACH DISTRICT TAKEN UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF "THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS SALE CONTROL ACT, 1893," IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1894 (RETURN SHOWING THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The following return has been compiled from information supplied by the respective Eeturning Officers, and, though not so complete as might be desired, it affords a fairly accurate survey of the results of the local-option polls. The main interest centres in the figures respecting publicans' licenses, the accommodation- and bottle-license proposals being minor issues; and in respect of publicans' licenses the return may be taken as correct enough for all practical purposes. The figures in respect of the other two classes of licenses are rendered of less value by the fact that a vote was taken on these licenses in districts in which they could not lawfully exist. For instance, accommodation licenses obviously cannot be granted in boroughs, and bottle licenses are confined to the Provincial Districts of Hawke's Bay, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, and Otago, though there are none in force in Hawke's Bay. The votes polled in these five provincial districts in respect of bottle licenses were as follows : — For continuance as at present ... ... ... ... 14,829 For reduction ... ... ... ... ... 5,927 For no license ... ■ ... ... ... ... 23,596 The column headed "Informal Votes" is given for what it is worth, but it is not complete enough to be of much practical value. It may be mentioned that in two cases in which the Eeturning Officers included the informal votes in the count the Supreme Court decided that the informal votes should not have been so counted, and the declaration of the polls was amended accordingly. In a third district the Eeturning Officer, having noted the Supreme Court judgment, altered his return without waiting to be moved thereto. In 33 districts the polls were void; in 12 reduction was carried; in 12 it was resolved that the present number of licenses continue; in 2no proposal was declared carried; in 1 the abolition of all licenses was carried; in 1 the poll was void as regards accommodation licenses, and for reduction of publicans' licenses; and in 1 reduction of publicans' and accommodation licenses, and abolition of bottle licenses, was carried. C. J. A. Haseldbn, Under-Seeretary. Department of Justice, Wellington, Ist August, 1894.

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Return showing the Number of Votes recorded, &c., in each Licensing District, at the Local-option Poll taken under the Provisions of "The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, 1893," in the Month of March, 1894.

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Publicans' Licenses. Accommodation Licenses. Bottle Licenses. Total Number of who voted at ] Persons Poll. Number District. Besult of Poll. Boll. For Continuance. For Be- For no duction. License. E^or Continuance. For Be- For no duction. License. For Continuance. For Beduction. For no License. Men. Women. Total. Votes. Bay of Islands Marsden Waitemata Eden Auckland City Parnell Manukau* Franklin .. Waipa Waikato Thames Bay of Plenty Waiapu 3,095 3,031 3,691 3,939 15,121 3,709 3,225 3,320 2,970 2,335 3,066 2,969 4,070 388 235 325 215 621 193 94 72 73 69 397 76 142 248 486 202 919 211 389 220 298 214 644 194 76 57 58 57 347 66 114 235 464 191 946 220 114 208 268 202 625 189 67 67 53 52 297 67 178 247 480 197 1,015 224 630 430 388 349 1,504 376 ■ 144 726 725 337 1,021 1,039 1,040 199 153 777 174 748 229 103 337 301 150 649 466 446 829 583 1,165 523 2,252 605 247 1,063 1,026 487 1,670 1,505 1,486 117 220 39 315 125 Void. « 389 476 220 324 496 213 85 119 65 211 254 102 330 234 160 718 315 1,171 348 473 229 337 505 235 78 75 37 167 193 88 298 192 156 716 277 1,163 286 372 209 70 97 40 318 240 165 '206 473 '411 -218 "89 M79 395 Both proposals rejected. Void. Hawke's Bay Napier "Waipawa 578 128 620 597 298 214 736 341 727 578 597 736 578 597 736 850 236 1,316 305 531 650 1,155 767 1,966 1,286 3,438 3,860 4,027 582 131 '598 521 131 '717 *284 New Plymouth Egmont Patea 3,781 2,821 2,797 1,232 777 721 82 46 116 807 527 481 1,220 785 697 68 43 96 808 511 456 1,172 761 642 56 41 89 807 530 483 1,494 940 1,043 819 410 485 2,313 1,350 1,528 135 To continue as at present. Masterton.. Wairarapa 4,077 3,613 722 727 184 183 546 701 696 695 116 143 519 674 670 674 112 138 565 712 1,208 1,267 482 700 1,690 1,967 (238p.) \ 349 a. \ (343b.) (355p.) ] 454a. I (453 b.) 117 188 281 Void. Wanganui Eangitikei Palmerston Otaki Wellington City Wellington Suburbs .. 3,980 4,140 3,792 2,562 15,017 3,609 1,301 733 825 253 3,582 574 114 101 200 86 1,284 217 610 488 627 290 3,497 786 1,305 719 664 84 82 140 538 489 655 1,194 677 638 117 85 113 592 517 711 1,357 1,038 1,079 559 5,524 1,082 722 440 623 243 4,159 838 2,079 1,478 1,702 802 9,683 1,920 Continue as at present. Void. '465 199 680 '420 'l74 '729 1,320 292 Reduction. Void.

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Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given ; printing (1,375 copies), £3 9s. 6d.

By Authority: Samuel Costall, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1894, Price 3d.}

Nelson City Waimea- Sounds Wairau Buller Inangahua 3,529 2,037 3,311 3,477 2,920 1,113 477 1,079 767 394 293 148 373 180 167 120 247 584 408 504 1,078 806 413 107 335 124 102 114 230 546 382 476 1,088 551 363 51 305 110 112 141 258 759 414 648 1,966 1,322 859 195 562 613 308 843 2,528 1,935 1,167 '392 718 Continue as at present. u it No proposal carried. Void. Grey Westland .. 3,557 4,213 1,172 1,460 249 216 527 424 1,176 1,524 186 173 527 403 749 1,480 170 161 935 459 1,581 1,632 742 687 2,323 2,319 1,266 Continue as at present. ti Ashley Kaiapoi .. Avon Christchurch City 2,949 3,364 3,425 13,789 495 792 774 2,841 154 174 228 1,635 450 1,184 960 3,966 490 127 418 870 1,350 1,181 5,011 414 1,059 911 4,332 1,284 2,409 2,092 9,343 Void. Eeduotion. Lyttelton .. 3,268 753 304 868 362 122 568 364 105 590 1,174 901 2,075 (150p.) U60a4 (147 b.J 79 m Riccarton.. Ellesmere.. Ashburton Selwyn 3,019 2,937 3,711 2,594 249 482 637 454 146 185 167 168 458 529 983 730 646 428 144 913 647 '299 "92 '938 530 812 1,313 752 402 426 804 600 932 1,238 2,117 1,352 *375 169 Void. Reduction, publicans'; void, accon modation. Continue as at present. Rangitata.. Pareora Timaru 2,837 3,253 3,730 787 1,061 1,559 102 110 236 643 743 963 792 1,087 95 107 620 685 771 70 673 1,142 1,317 1,557 619 785 1,201 1,761 2,102 2,758 144 237 Waitaki Oamaru .. Waihemo .. Waikouaiti Chalmers .. 2,855 3,269 3,386 2,284 3,634 771 859 279 274 559 111 200 133 137 383 869 1,109 1,008 654 1,272 779 871 275 280 586 106 177 110 121 332 863 1,101 984 642 1,291 739 876 254 251 566 106 153 100 111 255 891 1,134 1,027 689 1,371 1,330 1,347 914 630 1,334 756 1,042 670 523 1,174 2,086 2,389 1,584 1,153 2,508 326 124 294 Reduction. Void." Reduction, publicans' and aceommi dation; abolition, bottle. Reduction. Dunedin City Caversham Taieri Bruce Tuapeka .. Clutha Mataura .. Wakatipu.. Wallace .. Invercargill Awarua 13,634 2,845 2,829 3,259 2,929 3,315 3,278 2,964 2,928 3,731 3,079 1,359 357 546 66 134 487 740 512 258 702 312 2,480 431 165 63 421 90 146 257 100 296 109 3,906 912 737 1,212 353 1,642 955 225 502 1,149 799 1,465 275 557 55 147 453 755 538 269 734 311 2,183 377 153 47 403 74 132 222 94 221 104 4,038 941 738 920 341 1,683 943 215 497 1,194 764 1,411 381 494 49 136 215 726 454 244 730 310 1,827 310 103 29 360 68 116 194 93 180 84 4,474 1,001 851 948 387 1,908 990 315 523 1,239 809 5,044 1,072 968 673 634 1,483 1,345 770 683 1,181 849 4,503 938 675 686 371 995 718 274 338 969 518 9,547 2,010 1,643 1,359 1,005 2,478 2,063 1,044 1,021 2,150 1,367 1,922 307 195 50 202 222 118 161 Void." Prohibition. Reduction. Void. Reduction. Void. Totals 248,194 42,429 16,096 48,993 31,342 9,823 35,442 25,802 8,018 35,686 74,372 47,862 122,234 * The details of the loll in the Manukau District cannot be ascertained.