LICENSING POLL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1965, 15 April 1919, Page 2

LICENSING POLL.

A SLIGHT ALTERATION. Only one slight alteration has come to hand in the civilian returns of voting on the licensing poll. That I- fur Westland, including the delayed voting at Oknra, as follows: Continuance 3,0!)/ Prohibition ••• 1,440 ■ Majority for Contin’nce 3,048 This leaves Hie total civilian vole as follows: — Continuance 220,101) Prohibition 238,748 Majority for Prohibition 12,33!) There has been no alteration in the soldiers’ vote, so that the grand total of soldiers’ and civilian voles now to hand is as follows: — Continuance 2-12,284 Prohibition 242,703 Majority for Prohibition 41!) Tlio principal returns to come from the soldiery are from the Eastern theatre, the Continent, and tho transports. In the two former cases the men are probably so scattered Dial an early return cannot lie furnished. SYDNEY NEWS PA PEJUS DEDUC-t TIOX. S ydney, Yesterday. The Sydney Morning Herald, in a. leader, says “All the preconceived ideas about Die progress of Prohibition in New Zealand arc shattered by the voleylaken lasi week. It is well within the margin of I ruth to, say that Die surprise of Die Prohibitionists in the Dominion is no greater than the astonishment on the other side. The Prohibitionists expected to win a substantial majority; their opponents, if not exactly expecting defeat^ certainly counted on its being a possibility. It is, however, not only in regard to the fate of the immediate issue that party ovganisations have shown that they judged the public mind .rather iuis-_ takenly. The figures disclose what in all probability not a fraction of the community expected to learn. This is. Dial during the last eight years the strength of the Prohibitionists has been steadily waning, not only relatively to the voles cast, hut actually; and Die vole for liqumi has been gathering strength.” Dealing with Die soldiers’ vote, the Herald points out that it is not the vote of irresponsible youth using the franchise for Dio first time in a spirit of levity. The Dominion army abroad is composed of men up to forty, a large proportion being married men with families, and in every sense Die flower of the country's manhood; yet three out of four voted against Prohibition. Asking, “Does any reason exist for assuming that their vote is not the retlex of the vole east by New Zealand men generally,” Die Herald argues that compulsory Prohibition is vastly move favoured by women Hum by men. The article adds: “It would be disturbing to think of Die possibilities! of Prohibition being carried by a bare majority in a country where three out of four men were in the minority. Most people, wo think, will admit this, and further, will concede that superficially the position in New Zealand is open to the interpretation of being based on a conflict between the sexes.” A SOLDIERS' PROTEST. London, April 11. A large mass meeting of Now Zealand soldiers, held in Codford Cam]) on 3rd April, passed a resolu% lion holly opposing (he Government taking a liquor referendum during the absence of Die troops.