THE LIQUOR POLL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1306, 8 December 1911, Page 8

THE LIQUOR POLL.

1 All 'ilings -considered, ihe,poll taken yesterday upon the question of.continuing or abolishing the liquor trade in the' Dominion, end 'in' its various districts, ~has' ended in'a <somewhab colourless suit Evidence/of > the tremendous efforts: that were : mado equally .by the No-} 'License party and - the-.-liquor interest to obtain the, victory .-.is, to be found chiefly l , in. the heavy polling .that .everywhere: took place. In each island an .absolute majority of votes for National Prohibi-; tion was recorded, but no very close.approach was made to the three-fifths majority required to carry. the proposal.. Tho total' of available returns shows in tho North Island :—

HEAVY VOTING. A iAJORITY FOR NATIONAL PROHIBITION. , BUT WOT THE THREE-FIFTHS.

For National Prohibition, 123,060 votes; against, 90,983 votes. • In the South Island the voting was:— For National Prohibition, 101,021 votes; against, 85,234 votes. There is/thus an absolute majority for the whole Dominion in favour of Nation; al Prohibition of 49,875. votes. There are seven districts in the North Island ;,and'v.thre& in the South from which Natiorlal Prohibition returns have still to come. As to the local option issue, though the polling has been heavy, the available returns do riot show any gain by either party.