THE ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3050, 21 November 1908, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS.

By Telegarph—Press Association. ELTHAM, November 20. The candidates left in the second ballot for Egmont are working quietly, but have shown no disposition to take the hustings again. Mr Wilkinson has joined Mr Dive's committee, but the question is how many supporters he can take with him. It is supposed that Mr Wilkinson gained a proportion of the NoLicense votes, and these will probably go to Mr Wake now, as will also a number of the votes of Mr Asbury's supporters. OHRISTCHURII, November 30. Inquiries made from the returning I officer in Christchurch show that there were pactically no attempts to vote fraudulently at the recent elections in this city. A few apparent duplications have been noted, but they are attributed to clerical slips made in the bustle of work on election day. WELLINGTON, November 20. The date of the Hon R. McNab's resignation of the portfolio of Lands and Agriculture will probably be next Thursday, when the writ for Mataura constituency is expected to be returned.

LOCAL OPTION POLLS. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 20. An official statement as to the effect of the Local Option Poll in Manukau indicates that Reduction was carried. The figures approximately are over two hundred short of No-License. WELLINGTON, November 20. The recount of the local option papers for the Wellington Suburbs district increases the majority for No-License from 26 to 206 (?). THE FINANCIAL EFFECT.

WHAT AUCKLAND BREWERS WILL LOSE. AUCKLAND, November 20. In an interview with a leading representative of the brewery trade a "Herald" reporter was to-day furnished with an estimate of the financial effect of the result of the Licensing Poll in the Auctdand district and Ohinemuri. Owing to the degree of uncertainty still existing a3 whether No-License or reduction has been carried only approximate figures can be given. In some cases it is known that in Eden and Ohinemuri No-License is carried, and therefore the loss to the brewers in these districts can be gauged. The capital value of the hotels as licensed houses in Ohinemuri is estimated at £IOO,OOO, and of the four hotels in Eden at £35,000. The total loss from the closing of these hotels, however, has to be calculated less the value of the properties as unlicensed houses which would probably amount to abmt half the t capital value. This would reduce th? loss to the, brewers *'ing to NoLicense having been camtd in Ed.?n and Ohinemuri to £67,300. As far {-.fi Auckland City, P«u-nell, Manukau and Waitemata, are concerned, assuming that ' reduction has been carried in each, the number of hotela to be reduced must be at least three in Auckland City and at least two each in the other three districts named—a total of ten at the most. There can be twenty reduced, the extra ten all being in Auckland City, if the Licensing Committee decides to reduce. On the lowest basis the capital value of the ten hotels closed will be £60,000, and if the full quota of twenty hotels should ba closed the capital value lost would be £l2o,ofio less of course the value of the properties as unlicensed houses. At the lowest estimate herefore the loss to the brewing interest by the carryiner of No-License in Eden and Ohinemuri and of reduction in the other Auckland districts may be estimated at £97,050. On the assumption that the hotels which lose their licenses realise half their capital value. This loss must, however, be increased when the loss of trade is taken into account. All things considered, therefore the Auckland brewers stand to lose a capital amount which £IOO,OOO will not fully represent. Since the above figures were ob-

tained it has transpired that continuance and not reduction may be found to have been carried in Waitemata." This, of course, would lessen the aggregate loss stated, though only two hotels are concerned.