REVIEW OF LIQUOR POLLS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LXII, Issue 269, 15 November 1928, Page 6

REVIEW OF LIQUOR POLLS.

PREVIOUSi VOTIXG ON NATIONAL ISlSUES. Prior to 1910 there was no provision for the taking of a national poll on the iiquor question. bnt seach idectoral district had its own. local option poll and could deeide for iteell by a threq-fifthis majority whether or not. licenses slaonld be issued within the district. The .Licensing A,mie,ndnnent Aet of 1910 aclded to the issues to he placed before the electors at the licensing poll the question of whether tlie electors were for or aguj.nst "National Proliiihition." A three-fiif ths, majority was required to carry National Prohibition, and there was provision that 110 niattcr what the rosult of the poll at any geheral election. the issues should be resubmitted in eonjunction with every succeeding; election. The, first poll under this enaetment was held in December, 1911, when ihe voting was, as follows :— Against, National Prohibition 205,661 For National Prohibition 259,943

Tatai valicl votes . . 465,601 The support ers of National Prohibition would have had to poll 279,362 votes to carry their issue, and they failed to do m by 19,319 votes . Next time, the issues were altered by Parliament to "National Oontinuanae" and "National Prohibition" in the Licensing Amendment. Act of I9l4, and at the poll taken in December of that ycaT the pQ'llnig; was ,a.s follows:— For National Contiuuanco 2,57,442 For National Prohibition 247,417 Total valid votes ... 504,659 In this ca.se th© National Prohibition issue was beoten by an absolute majority oi' over .10 000 votes, and fcll short of the quota, necessary under the law to carrv the issue bv 55,570. The Licensing Amendment Act of 1918 was put th rough the Ho tise on the plea that it was partlv a war measure. It provided for two polis. tlie first bcing a special poll to lio held i.n April, 1919, at which the issues were to be "National C011tinuance" and "'National Prohibition with Compensation," the Mi?»ister for Finance heing empowered to borrow up to 41 millions for the purpose of compensation and tbe iVsue to h© deeidcd by a, bute majority of voters, The Aet furtkcr provided that if tlie National Prohibition issue (with compeiisatiou) were defeated at the special poll, there was to> he a. furtlier poll at tlie genieral election at which the issues should be (1) National Continuaneo, (2) State Purchase and Control, and (3) National Prohibition. It was provided that if either issue 2 or 3 were carried by a clear majority over the other two issues there should bo no furtber polis on the subjeo-t, and New Zealand was to be irrevocably comniittpd to either Prohibition or State Control. as tbe ease might be. At tlio special poll taken i.n April. 191 9, the resul t was: National Cbntinuance ... 264,189 National Prohibition (with compsnsdtion) 253,857 Total valid votes ... 513.016 National Prohibition was thos beaten by 10,362 votes. At the subsequent poll in December of the sanie year on the tlireobarrelled issue, the voting was as follows : — Cbiitinuance 241,251 State Control 32,261 Prohibition 270,250 Total valid votes ... 544,762 Prohibition in 1919 thus lackecl bnt 3163 votes of being carried. I11 1922 the voting was as follows : Coutinuance 282,669 State Control ... 35,727 Pirohibitiou ... 30O,7j9.1 Total valid votes .. 619,187 Conti nuauee thus increa-scd its lead to 17,605. lTu 1925 the voting was as foliows: Continuaneo .. 299,590 State Control ... 56,037 Prohibition • 319,450 Total valicl votes ... 675.077 In 1925 the Continuaneo majority had thus. furtber increased to 36,177. This year Continuance appears at present to have an oVcrv.hclming majority oi s.emeihing lQ:e 124,000 votes.