LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 281, 21 November 1908, Page 6

LOCAL OPTION POLL.

POSITION AT lll'TT. j By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Friday. It is calculated that in Ilutt :iolieenae must receive 42 of the (>2 absentees' votes to win. The supporters of no-license think they can reckon on 35 votes for certain. The other claim to know of 25 for continuance. The result appears quite likely to haig on a vote or two. THE CHRISTCHURCH CONTEST. MARKED NO-LICENSE REVIVAL. The Oliristchurch Press, commenting on the advance made by no-liceiist', says that so ion;,' as the No-license Party continue their agitation on the same lines as at present, ami so long as "The I'rade'' takes no active steps to bring ibuiil reforms that will win for them .lie entire sympathy and support of the more moderate party, it fully expects to see tit- area of no-license steadily extended.

Tile Lyttelton Times remarks that there can be no hiding the fact that there lias been a very marked revival in the no-license movement during the past three years. If it should be continued with the same enthusiasm for another three years ''The Trade" would be face to face with a very serious problem in 1911. THE DUXEDIN FIGHT. TWO POWERFUL PARTIES AT WORK. "Past experience of local option polls lias taught- the public to be prepared fur -iurprises, and the exciting ideim-nt ot I doubt is always more or less in evidence on such an occasion," says the Itago Daily Times, commenting on the local option results. "It lias tliis time uern particularly prominent in Dunedin. The contest has'beeu one fought between two powerful organisations, neither of which lias left any stone unturned ic gain the day. We doubt it the Nolicense Party actually expected to wipf (off the somewhat large deficiency by r which it failed three years ago to ob I lain the three-fifths majority necessary

to the carrying of no-license. We trust the trade -will take a lesson from the |H)11 ill so large a district as this seriously to heart, and realise the necessity for keeping its house so scrupulously swept and garnished in future that 1 it will at least afford 110 justifiable stimI ulus to the growth of popular feeling that is evidently quite capable of sweeping it away." Tne Evening Star says: "The great advance, tested by standard of numbers, aiade not alone in Dunedin, but throughout the Dominion, on behalf of nolicense, will have come as a surprise .mly to those who deliberately shut their eyes to the signs of the times. There has been an increase of nearly 3000 votes on the 1005 poll, a truly remarkable record, and one that the nolicense party are justified in regarding ;s the hand-writing on the wall. Theirs ■s a winning cause unless other counsels uul policies prevail." THE TRADE VIEW. WIIAT THE POLL TEACHES. " CREATING A MONOPOLY." A leading member of the executive ol the Licensed Victuallers' Association, when seen by an Auckland Herald representative, expressed the opinion that it was quite clear that, owing unfortunately to the apathy oi a large number of electors who did not record their r votes, and who presumably were in the existing state of affairs, the no-license and reduction vote loomed much larger on the surface than it would otherwise have done. It further demonstrated 'that a great and supreme ell'ort was made at this poll by the No-license Party, while a considerable section of the trade did not realise this fact, and ilid not exert themselves in the way they might have done. The number of people who consumed liquor and yet voted no-license, influenced by various outside reasons, was certainly considerable.

"The fact that Ohiiienuiri lias carried no-license is due to some members of the' retail trade at Waihi refusing to reduce the price of halt-pints ol beer I'roni (id t" 3d. This factor accounts for the diminution of tile continuance vote ■>v several hundreds.

"The members of the trade will l;tk* Lin- present large vote on no-license anil reduction as an indication that, every endeavor must be. made on their part to conduct their trade in a manner which will command the respect of the modi-r----ate section of the community, and every ell'ort will be made on their behalf to show the public that we merit a continuance of their support. We believe that an overwhelming majority of the people are in favor of a well-regulated license system of free trade in intoxicants, which would be so difficult to control." .. iV