THE LICENSING ELECTIONS.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 45, 3 February 1894, Page 8

THE LICENSING ELECTIONS.

In view of the approaching licensing elections, to be held next March,, the Executive of the N.Z. Alliance meeting in Auckland, after carefully considering the question, has decided to recommend its branches to take impart in the election of committees, on the ground that the committees are merely regulating, and not judicial, bodies, and it will not join in regulating the traffic. The Invercargill Temperance {Party, while recognising theforce of the Executive Committee’s reasoning, is loth to let the opportunity pass of effecting a reduction in the number of houses in the Invercargill district, and it is believed the necessary majority can be secured forth at purpose. A meeting in connection with the matter was held a few nights ago. Efforts in the meantime will not be relaxed to obtain such legislation as shall prove more satisfactory to the advocates of temperance reform than that of last sessionIn connection with this matter it may be mentioned that during his visit to Invercargill this week a representative of this journal had a conversation with Sir Robert Stout in reference to the position. He mentioned that he was one of those wffio had voted in the House against casting

the burden on local bodies of carrying out the licensing elections, and expressed the opinion that the manner in which the licensing districts had been formed would lead to great trouble. At Mosgiel no effort will be made to secure prohibition, the temperance party contenting themselves with trying to secure the amendment of the existing law.