THE LOCAL OPTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3046, 17 November 1908, Page 5

THE LOCAL OPTION.

CAMPAM& m WELLINGTON ANO (By Telegraph.WELLINGTON, NovembeYJtf.The Local Option campaign id being vigorously conducted by aides. The Trade and moderates in' Wellington are extremely confident that Continuance will be carried by a very laige majority, they ha' ing put 12,000 new names on the o'. The majority of business men are satisfied that No-License has been a failure in Ashburton and Invercargill from the retailers point of view, as evidenced by the acknowledgment of 100 business people in Ivercargilf. The No-License people seeing that their cause is hopeless in Wellington, are devoting their energies to other districts. The new suburban electorate, which includes the hotels at Island Bay, Kilbernie, Kaiwarra, Ngahauranga and Johnsonville, io making a big fight for Continuance, and the figures obtained as a result of the canvass of the moderates show

that the public, by a very large majority, are in favour of Continuance. Although this electorate contains very populous districts, where there are no hotels existing, the general feeling is that the trial of NoLicense in Invercargiil and Ashburton, has*cause! more drunkennessard unhappiness than under License, when hotes were well conducted. The Hutt Electorate is- a seething mass of excitement between the champions of License and No-License. The No-License Party have turned all their guns on this spot, and have brought the best speakers from, everywhere, and have had agitators touring the district from' house to house, but the vote is- very uncertain. Petone usually carries a majority for No-Libense, but in the Hutt, where there are more business and independent men l and a number of new arrivals from the OldGbun--try, are in favour of continuance by a large majority, the' consensus of opinion is that No-License will l not be carried. South Wellington,, which ii< 1902 carried No>License and versed the vote in 1905, when continuance was carried, is said to be 1 sure this year for continuance, the residents and shopkeepers having- had ! enough of the one trial of No--License, and are very strong in' favour of continuance. The sitting member (Mr Barber) who is a moderate on the Licensing question, isbeing opposed by an ardent ProhU bitionist, Mr Wright, who considers that Mr Barber was not strong enough against License. An important wire has just been received from Gisborne as follows:—"The President of the No-License League issued a , challenge to prove the figures re the consumption of liquor in prohibited areas, and a comparison of the progress with the Licensed districts. Special accountants and a referee were appointed, and the result, signed by the Mayor and President of the No-Licen3e League, proved conclusively that the Trade figures were correct, and the League's figures quite erroneous. Mr Piesse, accountant, acted tor the League, and Councillor Sheridan for the Trade. The figures as certified were published, and caused a great sensation. The position in Gisborne is regarded as absolutely safe. All figures were from official records only. This is a great victory for truth and honesty."