LICENSING POLL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 6, 6 March 1950, Page 4

LICENSING POLL

1 Sir, —It is with amazement on'e reads in today’s of the polling places that have been allotted for the licensing committee poll to be held on the 14th of this month. Whakatane, where two candidates have been nominated, only has one booth at the Courthouse. Absolutely no provision is made at Kopeopeo to say nothing of districts such as Te Teko, Matata, Galatea, Murupara, Te Whaiti etc. where no polling places are allocated. Surely this state of affairs, in conducting a poll on such a question, should not be allowed. Anyone who has given thought to the subject must realise, that the election of five'* citizens to administer the Licensing Laws in the Bay, must be elected fairly and full provision to vote should be a matter of right not of chance. This matter is urgent and brooks no delay. In the past, electing a licensing committee has been mainly the effort required in getting five people to stand, but today under the new Licensing Laws, and with a Licensing Commission to implement new laws- etc., ' greater responsibility rests with John Citizen to elect men of the right calibre, but what chance have ths people if the facilities \ are not provided to use our democratic i weapon—the ballot paper.

Surely, something be done to rectify the matter. Yours etc., “SPECTATOR.” Whakatane, March 3.