H—3B

national licensing polls and show the percentage of each vote to the total vote. The figures are given in a book on New Zealand statistics put in evidence by the New Zealand Alliance and there stated to be extracted from the N.Z. Gazette.

596. As State purchase and control represents a vote for the continuance of the sale of liquor and also payment for assets, we think that, in estimating the probability of prohibition being carried, we may have regard only to the percentage of the prohibition vote. The table shows that this vote fell slowly from 49-70 per cent, in December, 1919, to 47-32 per cent, in November, 1925. There was then a drop to 40-16 per cent, in November, 1928. At the next poll, in November, 1935, there was a steep fall to 29-58 per cent., at which the vote has remained fairly constant. 597. The total vote for continuance and State purchase and control in November, 1928, was almost 60 per cent., while the vote for prohibition was about 40 per cent. We think it reasonably plain that after the poll of November, 1928, men of business in the

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Date of Poll. Continuance. Prohibition. Valid Votes. 7th December, 1911 10th December, 1914 205,661 44-17% 257,442 51-01% 259,943 55-82% 247,217 48-98% 465,604 504,659

Date of Poll. Continuance. Prohibition with Compensation. Valid, Votes. 10th April, 1919— In New Zealand Expeditionary Force 232,208 31,981 1 246,104 7,723 478,312. 39,704 264,189 51-00% 253,827 48-99% 518,016

Date of Poll. Continuance. State Purchase and Control. Prohibition. Valid Votes. I7th December, 1919 — In New Zealand Expeditionary Force 240,364 887 31,682 579 269,972 278 542,018 1,744 7th December, 1922.. 4th November, 1925 14th November, 1928 27th November, 1935 15th October, 1938 25th September, 1943 241,251 44-36% 282,669 45-65% 299,590 44-37% 374,502 51-07% 521,167 63-42% 546,995 60-35% 529,386 57-36% 32,261 5-93% 35,727 5" 76% 56,037 8-30% 64,276 8-77% 57,499 7-00% 96,131 10-61% 123,701 13-41% 270,250 49-70% 300,791 48-57% 319,450 47-32% 294,453 40-16% 243,091 29-58% 263,208 29 • 04% 269,800 29-23% 543,762 619,187 675,077