THE LICENSING POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 281, 21 November 1908, Page 5

THE LICENSING POLL.

THE PAKNELL RESULT. By Telegraph*—Press Association Auckland, Last Night. Th« official local option returns lor Parnell are not yet available, the returning officer stating that some absentee and seamen s votes liave jet, to be opened, but it is slated that on the present figures reduction is tarried bv 385, and no-license fails by 217. THE TRADE'S LOSSES IX AUCKLAND DISTRICTS. ESTIMATED AT LEAST £IOO,OOO. Auckland, Last Night. . In an interview with a leading representative of the brewing trade, a Herald reporter was to-day furnished with an estimate of the financial effect of the result of the licensing poll in the Auckland district and Ohineuuiri. Owing 'o the degree of uncertainty s til] existing as to whether no license or reduction has been carried only approximate figures can be given ia some cases. It

it known that in Eden and Ohinemuri no-license is carried, and therefore the loss to the brewers in those districts can lie guaged. The capital value of the hotels as licensed nouses in Uhincluuri is estimated at dcioO.OOO, and of the four hotels in Edea at £35,000. The total loss from the closing of mese hotels, however, has to be calculated less the value of the properties as unlicensed houses, which would probably amount to about balf the capital value. This would reduce the loss to the brewers owing to no-license having been carried hi Eden and Ohinemuri to £07,500. As far as Auckland City, Parnell, Mariakau, and Waitemata are concerned, as--suming that reduction has been carried in each, the number of hotels to be reduced must be at least three in Auckland City, and at least two each in the other three districts named; a total of ten. At the most there can be twenty reductions, the extra ten all being in Auckland City. If the licensing committee decides to reduce on the lowest basis, Ihe capital value of the ten hotels closed will be £60,000, and if the full quota of twenty hotels should be closed, the capital value lost would be £120,000, less, of course, the value of the properties as unlicensed houses. At the lowest estimate, therefore, the loss to the brewing interest by the carrying of no-license in Eden and Ohinemuri and of reduction in the other Auckland district may' be estimated at £97,500, on the' assumption that the hotels which lose their licenses realise half their capital value. This loss must, however, be increased when the loss '*f trade is taken into account. Therefore the Auckland brewers stand to lose a capital amount which £IOO,OOO will not fully represent. Since the above figures were obtained it has transpired that continuance and not reduction may be found to have been carried in Waitemata. This, of course, would lessen the loss stated, though only two hotels are concerned. REDUCTION IN HANAKAU. Auckland, Last Night. The official statement as to the effect of the local option poll in Maaakau indicates. that reduction 'has been carried. The figures approximately are over 290 hundred short of no-license. CONTINUANCE IN MARSDEN. Auckland, Last Night. The Star's Whangarei correspondent wired that continuance was carried in Uarsden. SEDUCTION IN CHALMERS. | Dunedin, Last Night. The Chalmers licensing count has been completed and shows the following |Tesult:—Votes, 5129; continuance 2155, reduction 2681, no-license 2950. Reduction was carried by lo'/ 2 votes. Only one permit has to come. WELLINGTON SUBURBS. , Wellington, Last Night. The re-count of the local option papers for the Wellington Suburbs district increases the majority for no-license from 26 to 206. A PETONE PROTEST. Wellington, Last Night. An open-air meeting at Petone tonight passed a resolution protesting against the attitude of the Electoral Department in opposing the presence of a scrutineer at the official recount in connection with the local option poll a* being contrary to custom and to the general understanding of the law. The matter is to be brought before the Premier, the Minister of Justice, and the chief electoral officer, with a request that the law may be altered, if necessary, to enable each side to have a scrutineer at such recounts.

The local option returns from the T? Kuiti booth were:—License 110, reduction 85, no-license 116.