The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3375, 15 November 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1911.

There has been a revival of interest in tire proposal to held a poll to determine whether liquor ought to be supplied to Natives residing in the Takitimu district. It will be recalled that tlie initial steps towards this end were duly taken some months ago. The date of the pclj. was gazetted; the rival parties had started campaigning; and then What happened? For some reason that did not seem clear at the time, the Government postponed the poll in the meantime. It is now understood that it occurred,to the “powers that be” that the date of the Maori elections would be tlie most suitable for the holding of any other poll in which the Natives were also concerned. Whilst we are dealing with this point, we may add that it is very problematical whether it- is a benefit for licensing polls to be held on the same date as electoral polls. The idea of a general polling, day—such as in vogue in some communities—is all very well in theory; but we venture to think that where, in practice, any one question, as for instance, the liquor problem, is found to create a preponderating amount of interest, other important proposals may get as much consideration as is desirable. Just at the present time the whole question of the poll seems to have been revived on account of the doubts that have arisen in regard to the state cvf tlie law relating to the taking of the Maori licensing polls. Last August, it will be remembered, we drew attention to what appeared to us a grave defect in the principal provision. “If,” says subsection' 5 of 46 of the Licensing Amendment Act 1910, “tlie result of the poll is tliat ‘a majority of the electors’ are in favor of the proposal tliat liquor shall not be supplied to Natives in the district, then on the expiry cif one month after the declaration of the result cf the poll, even* person (whether a licensed person or not) who in any such district (whether on licensed premises or not) supplies liquor to any Native, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds..” It was pointed out that if the clause had provided that the decision should rest with “a majority of the voters” it would bo easy to understand the position. As it was, however, it would seem that tlie matter was to be settled by “a majority of the electors,” which was an impossibility in view of the fact that there is no roll of all the Natives who are eligible to vote on the occasion of such a poll. Only recently, it would appear, the Hon. Sir Janies Carrcll was requested to get an official interpretation cf this particular section of the law. He has now informed' the parties most interested in the poll that the SolicitorGeneral has advised him that tlie words “a majority of the electors” must be read to mean "a majority of the votes polled.” No doubt such was the intention of the Legislature, hut, with all due respect to such an eminent legal authority as the Solicitor-General, we should be very much surprised if his interpretation of tlie clause were adopted by the law courts. When attention was first directed to the matter there was ample time to get passed this year an amendment which would have clearly expressed the intention of Parliament. It will be a. pity if it now proves the case that any such poll has niorely represented so much time and money wasted.

Maori Licensing Polls.