THE LOCAL OPTION AND ELECTORAL POLLS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3046, 17 November 1908, Page 4

THE LOCAL OPTION AND ELECTORAL POLLS.

The result of the local option poll, which has been a topic of absorbing interest to the electors of the whole of the Masterton electorate for many weeks past, and which has been > discussed to an extent, and with a degree of enthusiasm hitherto quite unknown in the district, will be officially declared this evening. Within a few hours from the time of publication of this issue the recording of votes to settle several questions of the highest importance to the Dominion will have been coni' menced, and within a few hours the fiat of the people will ha«e gone forth to the people. Where there are two opposing sides, and the questions involved are submitted to a popular vote it is inevitable that one side must submit, for a time at least, to the decision of the other. Feeling is running high on the NoLicense question, but despite this fact each side has conducted its campaign in an exemplary manner. Charge and counter charges have been made to some extent, but the "features" of all keenly contested issues are very similar in character. It is, however, characteristic of the democratic people of New Zealand that they loyally abide by the decision of the majority, and that their spirit of fair play allows to each side a good hearing. It would be altogether superfluous to attempt to enumerate any of the multitudinous arguments that have been advanced on the NoLicense question, and we would suggest that a rational rather than a sentimental spirit should animate everyone voting on the question. We are well aware that the No-License party are actuated by the best motives, and that they confidently anticipate a substantial win to-day, but at the same time we adhere to our opinion, previously expressed, that there are better ways of dealing with the liquor traffic than that advocated by the No-License party. For instance a perusal of the telegrams, published in this morning's issue, and relating to the consumption of liquor in Invercargill does not reveal a satisfactory condition of affairs. Invercargill under No-License may be in a better condition than Invercargill under License, but are there not much more excellent systems of dealing with the liquor question than that of the Local Option Poll? May it not be fairly argued that there is no duty devolving upon an elector to vote for a system of reform, with which he has little sympathy, while he advocates a system that would be infinitely better? As a matter of fact the liquor question is one that the Government should take up, but they will not tackle it because it would mean displaying a great deal more backbone than they have got; thus they prefer to let "the trade",

and the No-License party hammer away at each other to the detriment of other political questions, to the confusing of party questions. The holding of the Local Option Poll on the same day as that fixed for the General Election does not conduce to a healthy interest in party politics. Evidence of this fact has been given not once but many times, but until the Dominion manages to decide definitely what is going to be done in regard to the liquor problem, we fear that there is no hope of reform in the respect mentioned.