LICENSING POLL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 173, 16 April 1919, Page 8

LICENSING POLL

MORE SOLDIERS' VOTES

PROHIBITION MAJORITY ALMOST DISAPPEARS

The Minister in charge of the Electoral Department (Hon. T. M. AYilford) has announced the result of voting by New Zealand soldiers at booths in France, Belgium, and Germany. 'I ho total number of votes comprised in six returns is .193, and of those 142 are for continuance, 49 for prohibition, and 3 are informal. These votes reduce the prohibition majority apparently to 2G, but this figure is subject to revision as -reports of the official counts come to hand. For example, it is reported already that absentee' votes in Masterton totalled 137, comprising 82 for prohibition and 55 for continuance. The new votes from Europe are as follow :— Pro- Majority Con- MM- for continuance. ti"n, tinuance. Rouen 244 25 21H Paris 15 10 5 Hazebrouck ... 2U 2 21 Mans ■■ 39 1 3S Boulou - '" (including Btaples, Wimore'ix) ... G7 S 81 Cologne (including Durcn)... 54 ■ 8 46 Totals 442 49 393 The final total of votes cast by soldiers in Great Britain and Western Europe is as follows:— Total votes 20,407 Continuance 16,317 Prohibition 4,004 Informal ' 86 Majority for continuance 12,313 The addition of soldiers' votes and civilian votes (as shown at the first count and disregarding absent voters' permits) gives the following resultsContinuance 242,726 Prohibition 242,752 Majority for prohibition 2G The official counts nro now proceeding in the various electorates, and will be completed iu most cases during the week. The results will be announced as they become available. These counts will dispose of the absent voters' permits and the 6eamen's permits, representing porhups 12,000 or 14,000 votes not yet included in the totals. The counting of votes cast in New Zealand by undischarged members of the Expeditionary Force will probably not be undertaken until after Easter. These votes were sealed by the returning officers I in the electorates at the close of the poll, ! and are being sent to Wellington. They will bo scrutinised and counted here after all the votes have been received. The counting of votes cast by soldiers aboard transports will b; done in Wellington after the ballot-boxes have been landed here. There will be no count aboard the vessels. The results of the counts probably will be announced as they reach the Minister. RESULT OF MASTERTON RECOUNT. By Telegraph—Press Association. ■ .Masterton, April 15. .An official recount of tho votes ..cast in the Masterton electorate .reduces . the continuance majority to one, the figures being:— Continuance 2751 Prohibition 2780 Informal 37 MASTERTON'S ABSENTEE VOTES. tJy Telegraph—Press Association ' Masterton, April 15. Absentee votes resulted:—Prohibition, 82; continuance, 55. The totals now are :— Continuance 2793 Prohibition 2767 SOLDIERS'TOTE CODFORD The New Zealand Alliance received the following cablegram yesterday:—"Sling 6oldiers protest against catch vote engineered by paid liquor representative at Codford. Numbers 'üblished absolutely untrue; quit 6 unrepresentative opinion soldiers." SEAMEN'S VOTES LARGE NUMBER .CANNOT BE RECORDED.

Br Telegraph—Press Association. Duncdin, April 15. Mr. W. T. Young, general secretary of the Union, states that while about 3000 seamen, stewards, etc., are eligible to vote on the licensing issue, not more than 1000 votes will be cast owing to difficulties which have arisen regarding the casting of the votes. Ho asserts that whereas soldiers on transports were enabled to record theiijjVot.es, no provision was made to enable the seamen, firemen, stewards, etc., on those vessels, and whose homes are in New Zealand, to record votes. . Mr. Young adds: "The Seamen's Union intends to demand that the electoral laws be drastically improved as far as the voting privileges of the crews of steamers are concerned. AUSTIuiIANCOMMENT THE SOLDIERS' VOTE. Sydney, April 15. The Acting-President of the New South Wales Alliance, commenting on the New Zealand prohibition vote, 6aid tho soldiers' vote was disappointing, but perhaps the soldiers were influenced by the fact that the vote was takon on the question during their nbsence. He. believed that ninny of tho electors in New Zealand refrained from voting on account of the financi'il question involved.—Press Assn.