1946 LICENSING POLL Analysis of Votes Cast

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 5, 1 June 1947, Page 4

1946 LICENSING POLL Analysis of Votes Cast

The following analysis, prepared by Mrs. Grainger, of the Hawke’s Bay District, Hastings Union, is full of interest and answers many questions suggested by the election results. The article well repays study. Total votes cast, 1,004,507

Total votes cast for Continuance, 542,681, or 54.02%. Previously this was 5736%. Total votes cast for State Purchase and Control, 202,664, or 20.18%. Previously this was 13.41%. Total votes cast for Prohibition 259,162, or 25.8%. Previously this was 29.23%. Continuance had a decrease of 3.34%. Prohibition had a decrease of 3.43%

State Purchase and Control had an increase of 6.77%. Prohibition had a decrease of 10,638 votes, but there were nearly 82,000 extra votes cast.

Continuance had an increase of 13,285 votes, hut a decrease of 3.347 r. Many electorates had a decreased vote, but the majority had an increase of votes.

State Purchase and Control had an increase in all but three electorates, these being Remuera, Hamilton, and Invercargill.

In Remuera and Hamilton, the vote for State Control was smaller, but the IKTcentage was higher. In .Invercargill, there was a decrease in the Vote and the Percentage. This is very interesting.

Of the 76 electorates, 24 had an increase of votes for Prohibition, but only four had an increased percentage. Of the 11 No-License Areas (which used to be 13), five had an increase of votes, but only one (Mataura) had an increased percentage. Seven of the eleven have under 50% of the votes, which is far from satisfactory. Restoration must gain over 60%' of the vote* to lie carried. Once carried, there is no further vote, so the Liquor Party concentrate on one No-License area, this time Mastcrton being their priority target.

In 1943 No-license votes in Masterton were 48.49%.

In 1946 No-License votes in Masterton were 37.22%.

Masterton was “dry” for thirty-eight vet rs. A bar is oj>erating now at the races. The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, called a meeting of Public Bodies to discuss the system to be brought in, and a. 801 l of the electors will be taken on \fay 28th. (See article below). Note Mt. Roskill, Prohibition 30%; No-Licence 60%. Eden, Prohibition 33<7r; No-License 58 %. Wellington Ea-f, Prohibition 23%; No-License 52%. bo these figures reveal a form of selfishness? It would seem that the attitude in these electorates is “We don’t want it to be sold in our district, but we do want to be able to get it somewhere else. Never mind other communities. Why Do We Not Want State Controlf We feel that the Governmem would use all means to make the Traffic pay, after buying it, and that higher sales would be assiduously sought. Alcohol would be just as deadly in its effects sold by the Government as by anyone eNe. As a beverage, alcohol is a great evil with which we should make no compromise. The irony of it is that the State Control issue was pi! on the ballot paper at the instigation of the Trade, and now it threatens to defeat Continuance. We may yet see the Liquor Trade hoist with its own petard. ‘TRUST CONTROL” (N.Z. “Herald,” May 9th) CHOICE FOR ELECTORS (From Our Political Corresj»ondent) WELLINGTON, Thursday.

The statement that if the liquor trust proj>osal is not carried in Masterton, legislation will be submitted to Parliament during the coming session authorising the appropriate licei.sing committees to issue an adequate number of licenses for the area is made by the Minister of Justice, Mr. Mason, in a pamphlet issued today which deals with the polls in Masterton on May 28. The Minister adds that all such licenses will be issued to private individuals or companies as is now done in other licensed districts.

In the pamphlet the Minister explains the reason for the poll being taken. It i" the intention of the Government to submit to Parliament this session legislation to give effect to the decision of the electors in carrying restoration and to give effect to that decision as far as practicable in the manner desired by the electors of the district. ‘‘Following the setting up of the Invercargill Licensing Trust there has been much public interest in trust control,” states the Minister. “The RoyaU Commission on licensing recommended that legislative provision should be made for the electors of a no-license district to decide, upon a vote for restoration, whether they desire the new licenses to be issued in the district to be acquired ar.d controlled by a kical trust, and that the majority necessary to carry trust control should be a bare majority. “After discussing the matter with local body representatives in the district 1 came to the conclusion that the taking of a poll on the question of trust control was generally desired in the Masterton dis-

trict. The proposal is being put in the simplest form, each elector being asked to vote either for or against trust control. The poll is for the guidance of Parliament. If in any area the proi>osal trust control is desired by the electors, then the legislation to be submitted to Parliament will provide that all licenses in that area will be issued to a local trust. In respect of any area which does not desire trust control, the legislation will provide for the grant of an adequate number of licenses to private licensees.”