THE LICENSING VOTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1919, Page 4

THE LICENSING VOTE.

POSITION OF DISCHARGED SOLDIERS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The Minister of Defence received on Thursday a wire from the secretary of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association asking that steps be taken immediately to have the Order-in-Coundl dated February 25 rescinded, and that the Order-in-Council dated December 19, 1918, should still hold good. The telegram stated that over 300 soldiers in the Auckland district, depending on the December order, had not enrolled, and, having been discharged since desired that the production of their (Bscharge and pay-book should entitle them to vote at the referendum as originally decreed, and it was also asked that the order of February 25 be rescinded." After communication with the Attorney General, Sir James Allen replied M that section 12 of the Licensing Amend- W ment Act provided only for taking the votes of members of the expeditionary forces, and a discharged soldier on his ■ discharge ceased to be a member of the expeditionary forces, and the regulations could not create a special right rot confcrred by the section. The regulations of December 19 related, as recent regulations relate, only to votes of members . ol the expeditionary forces, and the reinstatement of the regulations of December 19 would not enable discharged soldiers to vote. The law was quite clear, <™i he could not act in contravention of ) he law. The Minister regretted to near that discharged soldiers had abstained from enrolling as electors under a misapprehension of their position.