LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1018, 14 March 1912, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION.

ALL THE TRADE NOMINEES ELECTED. The Licensing Committee election, which took place on Tuesday, proved a walk-over for.the Trade candidates. It was only at the last minute that the Otaki No-Eicense Executive decided to give the Trade a run, and Messrs Barclay, Vincent, and Hornblovv consented to nomination the day before the nominations closed. Although the nominations of these candidates reached the post office, Mauakau, before noon on the day of the closing of same, the Returning Officer did not clear his letterbox till 2 p.m. The nominations of the three candidates would therefore not be in his hands till after the statutory time of closing. The Trade secretary objected to the nominations, and communicated with Mr Skerrett on the point. The Returning Officer also stated the facts to the chief electoral officer, who was satisfied to allow he election to proceed. We presume, now that the Trade has had a win, that no more will be heard of the matter. The Trade lost no time in getting into action, and they were out to down the No-License nominees, and the returns prove that their labour was not in vain. In Foxton very little interest was taken in the poll, the inclement weather no doubt keeping a number away, but indifference was the principal cause. The local candidate polled well in this and the immediate locality. At Eeviu and Otaki the Trade whipped up all their supporters, and provided conveyances—not so the No-Eicense Party. To show how indifferent the electors were in the election, only about one-fifth of those entitled to vote took the trouble to do so. It seems a pity that the local governing bodies should be saddled with the expense of an election under such circumstances. The local business places were closed from mid day, and a good deal of dissatisfaction was expressed in this connection. The following are the detailed results of the polling :

■s 4»* >. g O 3 c Ling. 'r* rt 0) C c 0 'm a 5 u cj m <u (Z 0 M J 0 s U b 0 H Otaki 31 106 26 104 103 89 102 29 Te Horo 15 17 14 15 14 10 15 14 Manakau 31 53 31 55 52 52 53 30 Ohau 9 13 10 14 10 10 12 9 Tevin 92 200 99 202 203 196 206 100 Foxton 81 81 135 67 68 69 70 81 Shannon 37 90 39 78 86 84 84 36 Moutoa 9 5 12 4 6 3 3 8 Koputaroa ... 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 Paekakariki ... 1 18 2 18 19 18 18 1 Himatangi ... 8 7 12 5 11 8 8 9 Paraparaumu 7 9 7 8 8 8 9 9 Reikiorangi ... 4 iS 1 17 iS 18 17 2 Waikauae 3 38 3 37 37 39 37 5 Taikorea 6 6 4 4 2 2 5 6 Rangiotu 0 1 8 2 2 2 2 1 Tokomam I Miranui $ ■ 28 58 34 53 58 55 54 3i Total ... 564 721 439 685 700 666 698 373