THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7985, 14 March 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1906.

The result of the election, held yesterday, to eleot a Committee for the Masterton Licensing District, certainly demonstrates that the electors are eminently satisfied with the services of the Committee which have acted during the past three years, for the polling, yesterday, did not result in the slightest alteration of the personnel of that Committee. That ihere was little interest in the eleotion throughout the electorate is obvious from the number of votes polled. The suggestion was certainly bruited abroad that the c litest was one between the "Moderate" and Prohibitionist parties, but one cannot seriously accept the suggestion that the Prohibitionist party was really couuerned as to the result of the eleotion, for it was one in whioh no three-fifths majority was required to secure a victory. Had the Prohibitionist party really been in earnest, yesterday, it could, of course, have swept the poll, if the votes at the last Looal Option

Poll may be accented as any criterion of the strength of the party. We are inclined to the belief that, as a matter of fact, the public generally are not disposer! to withdraw support from those who have served them honestly and intelligently in the past. Some effort was, no j doubt, made to introduce the question of the publican's booth at sports gatherings in the Park Oval, but the candidates who may have hoped to win seats on the Committee through advocating the abolition '' of the booth were mistaken in their anticipations, and iu the electors as well. It is, of course, within the power of the Borough Council to abolisr. the publican's booth on the Park Oval at any time. But though the booth may be rightly objected to, so far as the Licensing Committee are concerned, it would be little short of injustice, and certainly illogical, to refuse a license for the Oval, and to grant one for the A. and P. Association's grounds. It is thua manifest that it is desirable to have on the Lioensing Committee men, not pledged to any particular 'party, but those who are prepared fcc take a broad-minded view of the questions that come before them, unhampered by any pledges. That those who are interested in the hotels are opposed to the abolition of the publican's booth on the Park Oval, it is difficult to believe, for clearly the granting of temporary licenses in such close proximity to "licensed premises" must be detrimental to the hotelkeepers' business. The question seems to be whether or Dot Jioense to sell intoixoating liquprs shall be permitted to various insti- | tutions where the public, both male ! and female, and youthful, gather in large numbers. We are not disinclined to accept the opinion that the absence of the publican's bouth at such gatherings is advisable in the public interest, but, at the same time, we are at a loss to understand why it should be proposed to signal but alone the Caledonian Society, and institutions of a kindred character, for such a restriction.