The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1925.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1925.

Till-: first poll on tin* licensing question in New Zealand. remarks a contemporary, was taken in tlie year 1896, when the issues submitted to the elentors were: Contimianec. reduction, no-licenso. To carry continuance or i\duction an absolute majority of the votes east was reuired. and to tarry no-lieeiise a tbree-tiftbs majority wits needed. At that poll the C'l lit list electorate carried no-license. The national prohibition issue was not sulnnitted to the electors until the poll taken on Decent Iter 7th. 15)11. when a threefifths majority was required to carry the pro])osal. Local option polls v. taken in 1899, 1902. 1905 mid 1908 under similar conditions to that in 189(5, with tilt'- exception that they were held on the same day as the Parliamentary elections, and no-license Ix-came an important issue at the elections. At the poll in 1902 no-license was carried in Newton (Wellington), Ashburton, Chalmers. Bruce and Ma-t-aura, but the results in Newtown, Chalmers and Bruce were afterwards declared void and no change took place. In 1905 no-license was carried in Grey Lynn, Oamnru and Invercargill, and in 1908 it was carried in Oliincnmri, Eden, Mastcrkm, 'Wellington South. Wellington Suburbs and Bruce. None of the electorates which adopted nolicense have shoe carried restoration of licensees, excepting Ohincmuri. which carried restoration on Wednesday last. Roskill. which became a separate electorate alter the census of 191(5, is included as a no-lieense electorate Ih’ennso it formerly formed part of the Eden electorate. The number of votes east for each issue aL the polls between 1896 and 15)08 are as under:-189(5—-Number on roll, 839,220: Continuance 139.581). Reduction 91,555. No-lieense 5)8.312. 18915)—Number on roll 373,7-1-1: Continuance 112,113. Reduction 107.751, No-lieense 118.575. 15)02—Number on roll -115,789: Continuance 1-18.419. Reduction 132,240. No-lieense. 151,524. 1905—Number on roll 476,473: Continuance 182,884. Reduction 451.057, No-lieense 195.768.

1908—Number on roll 537,003: Continuance 188,140, Reduction 162.562. No-Ficense 221.471.

At the poll taken on Do' 1 . 7th. 1911. the, reliction issue was eliminated, and the electors voted for the first time on the prohibition issue. As in the case of local no-license a three-fifths majority was required to carry prohibition. No-license was not carried in any district at that poll, and the votes in favour of national prohibition we~. several thousands short of a, threefifths majority. The total number of electors on the rolls was 55)0.042 and 237,025 voted fur continuance and 234.656 for local no-license. The number of votes for • national continuance was 205.661 and for national prohibition 259.943. Of 465,604 valid votes recorded 55.83 per cent, were cast for and 44.17 per cent .against national prohibition. The next poll on the nolicense and national prohibition issues was taken on December 10th. 1914, under the same conditions as tlie poll of 1911. Of a total of 611,043 electors on the roll, 504.659 valid votes were recorded. On the local option issue 274,405 votes were cast for continuance and 229.474 for no-license, and on the national prohibition issue 257.442 votes were cast for continuance and 247.217 for prohibtion. The percentages of the total votes secured by continuance was 51.05 and national prohibition 48.99. During the 1918 session of Parliament an amendment to the Licensing Act was passed whereby authority was given for taking a special licensing poll on tlie question of national prohibition of liquor with compensation to all those engaged in the industry, or national continuance of liquor. In addition to the taking of civilian rotes the Act

made special provision for taking the • votes of soldiers who were monikers of the Xew Zealand Expeditionary forces. A bare majority of votes was required to carry prohibition. The poll was taken on April 10th. 1919, and resulted in national continuance being carried by a majority of 10,302. The total number of votes, including soldiers’ votes, cast for prohibition, was 233,827 and for continuance 204.189, a total of 318,010 valid votes lieing recorded at the poll. In accordance with the Licensing Amendment Act. 1918. three issues were submitted for delusion on December 17th.. 1919: Continuance, Stnto Purchase and Control, and Prohibition without compensation. To carry any issue it was necessary that more than one-lialf of the total votes cast should l>e in favour of that issue. None of the issues secured the minimum of more than one-half of the total valid votes, national prohibition being only 3202 votes short of being carried. The three issues—national continuance. State- purchase and control. and national prohibition (without compensation) were again submitted to the electors on December 7th. 1922, when prohibition was 17.002 votes short of half the tola! votes cast at the poll. The results of the voting at the 1919 and 1922 polls arc as follows : 1919. 1922. National Continuance 211.231 282.009 State purchase and control 32.201 d 0.727 National prohibition 2i0.230 300.791

Total valid votes ... 313.702 019.187

No. of electors on roll 093.12 I i 00,012 The figures for the poll this week as far as they are available, are: - Continuance 278.393 State control 32,330 331,129 Prohibition 301,001 Deficiency 30.003 There are still some 30.000 absent votes to he recorded, which will make some change, hut the decision itself shows a very decided result. AYith the votes still to he counted, it will ho scon there arc over 002.000 votes recorded, which is the largest poll yet recorded on the licensing issue.