THE LICENSING REFERENDA.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1133, 28 December 1911, Page 20

THE LICENSING REFERENDA.

LOCAL OPTION SHOULD BE ELIMINATED. THE ONE ISSUE ONLY NEEDED. The recent Licensing polls showed pretty conclusively that the greater number of the electors have no desire to see the Local Option issue carried in any of the electorates. While the Temperance (or so-called Temperance) vote was certainly directed against local No-license, the moderates, who really control the situation, voted the issue out, and consequently the number of “dry” electorates remains as formerly. On the other hand, the vote on the National Prohibition issue seems to indicate a desire on the part of the people to concentrate all their energies upon the carrying of that proposal. We say “seems” advisedly, because, as Mr. J. S. Palmer pointed out in his interview with a “Gazette” representative last week, there is good reason for believing that a large

number of votes were recorded under a misapprehension, and that many voters who actually voted for National Prohibition were under the impression that they were voting against it. Having the larger issue to vote upon, however, there, is an evident disinclination to add to the handicaps that beset the Trade by carrying local Nolicense, and for all practical purposes the issue might as well be eliminated. Common justice, indeed, demands that it should be so eliminated; because, while in the event of National Prohibition being carried, the whole of the licenses would go out within four years, time would be given to the hotelkeepers and. others concerned to prepare for the inevitable and to minimise the loss which must follow the destruction of their business. If, on the other hand, local No-license is also carried the licensee has only six months in which to put his affairs in order. We quite expect our Prohibitionist friends will object to the proposal, as they adopt an wholly irreconcilable attitude towards any proposal that appears likely to help or benefit the licensed victualling fraternity. It is for this reason that they have directed all their energies into the one direction and endeavoured to abolish the traffic in stimulants. During the whole of the agitation that has been conducted by the New Zealand Alliance against the liquor traffic in this country, it is impossible to point to a single attempt made by the Prohibitionist party to introduce reformed conditions into the licensed trade. And it seems to us it is about time that the common sense of the electors made itself felt against the extremists. Whatever Government may be in office this year could not go far wrong in revising the issues that are submitted to the electors at the licensing polls in the direction of substituting the one issue only for consideration —that of National Prohibition.

The Maori liquor vote in the Northern Wairoa was as follows:—Continuance, 250; no liquor, 128.