THE LICENSING POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1919, Page 5

THE LICENSING POLL.

DTJNEDIN CENTRAL. By Talegrapli.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. Dunedin Central returns, including absent voters and seamen arc as follows: Continuance 3035 Prohibition 3829 Informal 75 Majority for Prohibition 704 DUNEDIN SOUTH. Wellington, Last Night. Prohibition 4708 Continuance 3457 Majority for Prohibition 1251 This includes the absent voters, of whom 100 voted Prohibition and 92 Continuance. | OHRISTCHUROH FIGURES. Christchurch, Last Night. The official count has been concluded In the three Christchurch and Riccarton electorates. The aggregate for the four electorates means an increase of 110 in the numbers for Continuance. The revised figures are: Christchurch South, Continuance 3510 Prohibition 3773 Informal 51 Christchurch North. Continuance 4300 Prohibtiion , 4034 Informal lis Riccarton. Continuance 3453 Prohibition .... 3459 Informal 08 The Christchurch East details are not available, but the results of the recount is that the majority for Continuance is increased by 159, making the Continuance majority for the electorate 1234It is understood that the changes iu the figures in Avon are very light.

DUNEDIN NORTH, Dunedin, Last Night. The final returns for Dunedin North are: Continuance ................. 2770 Prohibition -.v., ~...r........ 4468 ■BRUCE. Dunedin, Last Night. The final returns for Bruce are: Continuance 2073 Prohibition ; . y . ■] 2454 THE TRANSPORT VOTES. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Justice stated to-night that he would announce the returns of the soldiers' votes from each transport as thsy were given him, and that tlw total of the soldiers' votes in New Zealand would be made public'as soon as available.. The soldiers' votes for the individual electorates will not be given.

SYDNEY PRESS COMMENT. Sydney, April 16. The Daily Telegraph, in a leader on the New Zealand Prohibition vote, after referring to the fact that the reduction of the Prohibition lead resulted almost wholly from the men on active service, says: "The New Zealand soldiers may be regarded as typical of her manhood None has been so long away as to forget the conditions among which Prohibition is amongst the best known and most discussed. Their vote may, therefore, be taken as a guide to the feeling of the rest of the population. It is a fair inference that the greater number of supporters of Prohibition are women, and the greater number of opponents men. If this is so, the people of New Zealand may fairly be congratulated that they refused to take tho irrevocable step. They will have abundant opportunities of introducing Rational Prohibition in the future.—Aua.-N.Z, Cable Assn.

ENGLISH COMMENT. Received April 16, 11.55 p.m. London, April 12. The Manchester Guardian, commenting on tho soldiers' anti-prohibition vote, suggests the Anzacs' familiarity with the French cafes has given the liquor problem a moro humane aspect than that presented to the habitues of publichouses in New Zealand. Other factors include the effect of British hospitality as expressed in beer.—United Service.