The Licensing Poll.

Manawatu Herald, 8 December 1896, Page 2

The Licensing Poll.

«. The poll taken on the licensing question unniistakeabiy shows that the general public are satisfied to leave matters as they are. It shows that most of the electors voted on the question, as taking the numbers who voted for licenses to remain as they are, and those who voted for prohibition, and add them together they come very close to the number polled by the candidates for the general election. In the case of our own electorate the prohibition vote appears to have been the only vote oast for reduction, unless, which is possible, the prohibitionists ignored the demand of their leaders to strike out the top line only, as 1160 persons voted for prohibition and there were only 1063 votes recorded for reduction I As 1683 votes were cast for licenses to remain as they are, the party in favour of liberty scored a win by 478 votes. The same thing, that of the prohibition .vote being larger than that given for reduction, occurred in Palmerston, Kaiapoi, Invercargill, Waiapu, Wairau, Waikouaiti, Taieri, Waihemu, Hawera, Wanganui, Oaraaru, Selwyn, Tare* naki and Waitaki. In the electoral district of Avon nine more votes for reduction than prohibition were re gistered ; in Timaru, four votes ; in Lyttelton, thirty votes ; in the Grey, 899 votes ; in Napier, 1484 votes ; in. Oaversham, 278 votes ; in Dunedin 818 votes ; in the Thames 192 votes ; and in Auckland 206 votes. Clutha carried prohibition by a majority of 846 votes, and Taranaki very nearly did, there being only 22 of a majority against it. Prohibition as the law of the land seems there* fore a long way off, and we hope the total abstainers will keep to their good work of advocating temperance in drinking, and in cases of persons who cannot resist temptation, total abstention, and leave interference with legislation alone. No one desires to say a harsh word of total abstainers, we believe they do much good, even when the abstention on the part of the confirmed boozer is not of long duration, and for their own part they have every liberty as to what they shall eat and what they shall drink. Tastes differ, and the public object to dictation on their part a? to what they (the public) should drink.