LICENSING POLL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 175, 19 April 1919, Page 8

LICENSING POLL

MORE SOLDIERS' VOTES CONTINUANCE LEAD THE OFFICIAL COUNTS _ The latest returns of rotes cast at the, licensing poll put continuance in the lead by a margin of .about 1800. Tho official counts, which include the absent voters and seamen, lmve slightly increased the civilian majority for prohibition. But two batches of soldiers' votes, one from Egypt and the other from tho troopship Willochra, showsweeping cqntinuance majorities. The present position of the two issues is approximately, as follows,— 1 Civilian Votes, Continuance 227,601 Prohibition ' 3-A0.376 Majority for prohibition 12,775 Soldiers' Votes, Continuance 19,116 Prohibition 4,510 Majority for oontinuance 14,576 Total Votes, Continuance 216,717 Prohibition 244,916 Net majority for con- . tinuanco ' 1,801 The Returns from Egypt. A cablegram received by tho Minister of Justico (Hon, T. M. Wilford) on Saturday gave following results of the voting by ' New Zealand soldiers in Continuance. Prohibition. Tl. Alexandria... 8 2 10 Kantara- ...... 58 14 72 Cairo 172 32 209 Ismailia 493 132 644 Menuf 73 10 S3 . Quesna 144 ■ 34 178 Zifta 213 , 39 255 Tan t;i 165 56 223 . fjherbin. 88 ' 32 116 Mehallakubra 67' 14 81 Mansura, ... 101 31 134 . Kaft, Sheikh 276 _48 JHO Totals ... 1853 444 2345 Majority for continuance 1409 There were 48 informal votea. The Willochra's Returns. The votes cast on the'transport Willoohra by returning soldiers were counted after the arrival of the ship in Wellington, and the xosnlts were announced by the Minister of' Justice on Thursday. The figures were as follow :— Continuance 946 Prohibition ...» 92 Informal 3 Majority for continuance 851 • The Official Counts. The following figures from various districts show the result of the official couVita, which took place last week:— WELLINGTON NORTH. Continuance 4949 ■ Prohibition .3*95' Informal 33 Continuance majority ..... 1'454 The absentee votes included were Continuance 168, Prohibition 123. t ■ Seamen's votes: Continuance 30, Prohibition 6. WAIPAWA. Continuance 3010 Prohibition 2819 Continuance majority ....... 191 MASTERTON. Continuance 2781 Prohibition ; 2780 Continuance majority ... 1 • WAIRARAPA. Continuance' 2846 Prohibition 2421 Continuance'majority .... 425 ASHBURTON. , Continuance 300S Prohibition 2562 Informal 44 Continuance majority 446 Tlio Returning Officer found a voter who voted at two booths. His votes were both disallowed, and a prosecution will follow, under Section 11 of the 1918 Licensing Act.' Thirteen declarations were also found to be false. Action also will be taken under Section 18 of the 1914 Act. m'-innm

DUNEDIN WEST. Continuance 3085 Prohibition 3986 Informal '7 Prohibition majority ... 901 'MATATJBA. Continuance 2233 Prohibition 2772 Prohibition majority .... 539 This includes absent voters, 26 for Continuance, 61 for Prohibition, and 12 informal. AUCKLAND CENTRAL. Seamen's votes were: Continuance 108, Prohibition 21. Absent voters: Continuance 04, Prohibition 40. The totals are: Continuance 3713 f . Prohibition 2131 ' Continuance majority r.. 1579 NAPIER. The absent voters' results are: Continuance 10G, Prohibition 142. This miikes the totals:— Continuance 3868 Prohibition 3820 Informal 82 Continuance majority ... 48 The Avon Recount. By Telegraph—l?re6S Association. Christchurch, April 18. The recount of the figures for Avon are:—. , Continuance 3784 Prohibition 4428 These increase the prohibition majority in Avon by 35. .. THE INFORMAL VOTES, FIGURES NOT ABNORMAL. It has been suggested that the number of informal votes cast at the licensing poll was exceptionally large. A comparison of figures shows that a# a matter of fact tho proportion of informal votos. was about normal. Every election and ballot produces a certain number of improperly marked papers, used in most cases by people who apparently are unable to understand the most simple instructions. Some of tho voters who went to tho booths on April 10 I'iado their ballotpapers informal by striking out the words "with compensation" after "national prohibition." But tho returning officers indicate t'hnt tho number of papers of this kind was not large, and diit not account for nearly ail the informal votes. A few cf the informal papers had "State control" written upon them.