IMPORTANT ISSUES TO BE DECIDED BY LICENSING POLL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 7, 8 March 1950, Page 4

IMPORTANT ISSUES TO BE DECIDED BY LICENSING POLL

The dissatisfaction of those people who have no booth in their districts to which they may go to vote *on Tuesday for the Bay of Plenty Licensing Committee is not unreasonable. Especially to those who have the seeming misfortune to reside at Murupara, where a trip of 40 miles will be necessarv before they can say who they desire to look after their liquor interests. Waimana, Te Teko, Matata, Manawahe and Ruatoki are in a similar position and some allege it would seem that the organisers of the poll for this district have taken the election lightly. Since nominations were first being called for the committee critics state there has been a very definite lack of publicity given the whole question and it is not surprising that there is a large number of people' today who do not know what is going on or know why it is so important for them to vote.

In the first place it should be realised by all electors on the parliamentary roll that they are entitled to vote. They may vote for any number thpse ten nominated, up to five. Secondly, and most important of all, the people should realise that the men they vote onto the Licensing Committee are going to have a deciding voice in the allocation of the new wholesale and publican licenses granted the district. This is a very important point and one that should be borne in mind by all who are entitled to attend the- poll.

For these two reasons alone it is considered lamentable that more publicity has not been given the issue by the controlling Government Department at Rotorua. The Committee is one that will affect the , lives of everyone in the Licensing District now and in the future.

It is thought wider provision should have been made for a greater number of people to vote. It is not only the people of Whakatane, Edgecumbe, Taneatua, Opotiki, Rotorua,-Ngongo-taha and Mamaku who are interested in the future distribution of liquor throughout the district. There are a few thousand people in outlyir.g districts who, although they may not get so thirsty, are still concerned with the body that is going* to have a say in who is going to supply them with liquor tomorrow.