OHINEMURI LOCAL OPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 31, 2 March 1909, Page 2

OHINEMURI LOCAL OPTION.

THE PETITION DISMISSED. By Telegraph.— Press Association. Waihi, Holiday. no special Court gave its decision ill reference to the petition to invalidate the Ohineuuiri licensing poll. The Court consisted of Messrs liurgess, Cutten and Colonel Uoborts, S.lt. After reviewing the evidence, it did not think that tdie irregularities proved showed tlml the poll was not conducted substantially iu accordance with the provisions of the law, nor did it think that the result was affected thereby. The petition would be dismissed, with costs .•CIOS. The Court held that the principle to be applied was clearly 'whether Micro had been such great and universal neglect that it could be said that the secrecy of the ballot had been cntire'v | disregarded. The evidence adduced did I not justiiy them in coming to such a conclusion. Constable Drfscoll had saitl that it was in endeavoring to assist those to find empty compartments that lie looked' behind the screens and in so doing saw the ballot papers, and it was suggested by the petitioners that persons looking for compartments in which to vole would have the same opportunity as Driscoll to see how others voted. I hero was no evidence, however, of jvnv person in the booth at any time throughout tile day, for the purpose oj' voting, having seen how any other voter was marking his paper.

THE EFFECT OF XO-WCKXSE. Auckland, Last Sight.

3 In reply t» a question concerning litp filed of the i-arryinjf of no-lioi>usf at Oluncimm. Mr. A. .M. .Myers, chairman of the Auckland Breweis'and Wine aml Spirit Merchant <•' Association, »tat"d timi the loss In the owners would proliably li« aliout C.lO.Oiltl, Unly nix of the lioiMs, he said, W cre owned liy the ■wliolesalo trade, tlie remainder 'licing owned liy trust estates. widows, and other private individuals, on whom (lie loss would fall very heavily. Air. \X. .1. AleDerniott. sccretarv of tlie Auckland Prohibition Lea-sue. said Ihrft it was a slur on tlie people of AVailii to say tliat the price of beer had

been nil important factor in connection 'with (lie last poll at Ohinemuri, as I AVailii had given, <i consistent no-lio'ens(-vote since 1800. " J