NATIONAL PROHIBITION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 421, 9 December 1911, Page 5

NATIONAL PROHIBITION.

It was largely recognised before Thursday's poll in the new issue of National Prohibition, submitted the people of New Zealand for the first time in the history of a British comcomninity. that the voting in favour of the proposal would be heavy, but very few probably realised ihat the electors of the Dominion would return such an answer as is recorded in the figures already available. The interest in this issue entirely overshadowed that, on the local question, and with the bulk of the people in the country at large doubtless absorbed far more attention than did the main object of the day--The return of representatives io the National Assembly. A curious feature of the polling in connection with these questions of prohibition and local option was that in many instances where the question of local no-license was rejected in decisive terms a very large majority was polled in favour of Dominion prohibition, the apparent aimmally being possibly accounted for by the fact that many people, both among moderate drinkers, and members of the No-license party, regard local no license as futile, and are prepared, in an experimental mood or from some o'her motive, to cast; in their vote for the total prohibition of all alcoholic beverages from New Zealand. The re turns, though incomplete, ore significant, a majority of over ."i.'i per cent, being established hi favour uf a. dry Dominion —dry not in the sense thai is meant by no-license, but absolute. This percentage may be modified one way or another by the. time the complete figures are in hand, but it. may bo reasonably assumed that it, is fairly indicative of the general voting on this question. If the first agreement made between the no-license party and the trade fur an amendment of the Licensing Act, with a fifi per c-nt. count on national prohibition, had been adhered to. New I Zealand would probably have "gone

dry" a 1 this election. It will be remembered that, tin' agreement was abrogated through tho hostility of oik 1 section of thono-liccmm horlor:-. who feared that, counting local no-license for.nation;:] p -ohild- ion woold prevent, many ei-elm-:-: from r.-cordi :m; their votes in (ho local op-ion poll. As results demonstrate, national prohibition has so overshadowed (ho leaser issue ;•,:■-. io enmpioleiy dwarf its importance. Vo! iii;-. :- ■ Auckland City Against prohibition ih.ii::;;. for prohibition 1.1,175, ma-

jorit v for 1 1 52. Auckland West,—344o, 3357, majority against S3. Auckland Central—36s6, 3426, majority against 230. Grey Lynn—l97o, 4753, majority for 27 83. Parncil- 3623, 4122, majority for 491). Eden—2ols, 4321, majority for 2306. Waitemata—297B, 3983, majority for 1005. Manukau—27Bß. 3947, majority for 1159. Bay of Islands—2o4s, 2948 —incomplete. Marsden—2242, 3389, majority for 1147. Kaipara —1983, 2805 —incomplete. Franklin —2227, 3171, majority for 044. Raglan—l9l7, 3253, majority for

157. Thames—239o, 3007, incomplete. Ohinemuri -2664, 2764, majority for 100. Tauranga—227s, 3177 —incomplete. Waikato—2446, 3881, majority for 1435. Bay of Plenty—22B2, 3201—incomplete. Giaborne—29l6, 3759—incomplete. Hawke's 8ay—2773, 3566—incomplete. Napier—2976, 3574 majority for 598. Waipawa—2oßo, 3050, majority for 970. Pahiatua— 2042, 2927, majority for 885. Masterton—27s7, 2985, majority for 228. Carterton -- 2886, 2738, majority against 148. Stratford—2lß9, 2266, majority for 1077. Taranaki—2347, 3590, majority for 1243. Egmont—l9l3, 3553, majority for 1639. Patea—2lß2, 3599—incomplete. Wanganui—29o9, 4137, majority for 1228. Waimarino--2511, 2447, majority for 157. Oroua—2o2s, 3064, majority for 939. Rangitikei -2287, 2770, majority for 483. Palmerston—274B, 3615, majority for 867. Otaki—2l7o, 2768, majority for 598. Hutt—3o67, 3491, majority for 424. Wellington South—2s39, 4106, majoritv for 1567.. Wellington North—39lo, 3495, majority against, 415. Wellington East—32o7, 4145, majorilv for 938. Wellington Central majority against 293. Wellington Suburbs majority for 889. Nelson Not yet available. iMouieka against 4 1. Puller -2232, 3039, majority for 13.(17. Grev--27!1, 3151, majority for 440. Wesfland - - 2970, 2813, majority against 157. ' Wairau---2535, 2S2S, —incomplete. Hnrtmui- -2451, 2138, —incomplete. Kaiapoi—2497, 3198, majority for

Cbrisichurch City—lo,4B9, 12,150. majority for 1661. Riocarton—3l3l, 3349, majority for -2IS. Avon--:. 1-18. 4015, majority for SG7 Lyttelton--2557, 3160, majority for 303.' Ellesmere —2431, 2543, majority for 112. Selwyn —1896, IS4I incomplete. Ashb'urt.on—2944, 2761, majority against 183. Timaru—2792, 40G5, majority for 2224, 2889, majority for 665. Waitaki —1774, 2247,. majority for 4 73. Oamaru—27ll, 3.307,. majority for 596. Ofapo Central—2434,. 3000, majority for 586. Diinedin City—lo,lßs.. 13,511, majority for 3326. Chalmers—232B, 3703„ majority for Rnice--2395, 3023, majority for 628. ChUh;i—l9s2, 2714,. majority for Wakatipu -2558, 1M7.7, majority atrainst 81. ' Mataura, 2756, 2023. majority for Vvaliacc—2B72, 2305,, majority for InvrrcarKill—32os, 3886, majority (or 6S]. Awarua Result, not yet available. Totals--Asrainst. prohibition 202. 301. for prohibition- 25 0.716. majority against ISil, tnaj-ority for 53,384.