THE LICENSING POLL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 167, 9 April 1919, Page 7

THE LICENSING POLL

MAIN RESULTS EXPECTED EARLY

The returning officers anticipate that the results of the voting at the licensing poll to-morrow will be known, as far as tho chief centres are concerned, early in the evening. The city.-polling booths will close at 7 p.m., and some of tho returns are likely to become available well within an hour.

If_ tho voting is close the decision may b.i in suspense until tho soldiers' votes have been counted. How long this will take is not known definitoly, but a fortnight or more may elapse before the last return has reached the chief electoral officer from transports at sea and groups of New Zealand soldiers in various parts of the world.' It is estimated that the total number of soldiers' votes will exceed 40,000. But about 10,000 of the men are in the Dominion, and the soldiers' voteS to be received from abroad'probably will not exceed 30,000, since there is reason to believe that sonio of tho men have not returned ballot/papers. Exact figures will not be available until the votes have been counted. Questions' have been asked regarding the (status, of. the Maori soldiers.. The position is that, a Maori may vote as a member, of tho. Expeditionary Force if ho is not discharged. But'ho cannot vote if . he K has received his discharge, since the poll is not being taken in Native electorates. A Maori or halfcaste whoso name appears on the roll of a European electorate may vote at the licensing poil. - One of tho provisions of Iho Legislature Act, applicable to tho poll to-mor-row, is that there shall bo a public holiday after midday. The hotel bars must be closed during tho afternoon. The' half-holiday may. be reckoned in lieu of the ordinary weekly half-holiday under the Shops and Offices Act. Factories need, not close, but employees must be allowed reasonable time, without deduction of pay, to record their votes.

UNDISCHARGED SOLDIERS' VOTE. As there is some misapprehension regarding the right of undischarged soldiers to voto in the licensing poll, the suggestion having been made that n specinl permit is needed, Base Records point out that no other document is necessary except the soldier's status certificate J viz., the certificate on leavo with notice o'f discharge, or' tho sick leavo or in-patient's or out-patient's certificate. These show .that the soldier has not been discharged, and is therefore entitled to exercise the 1 soldier's vote.