As a speaker Mr. Isitt would perhaps be the better for a less liberal use of the bludgeon, but his remarkable energy and force on the platform, and his bold and thorough sincerity, made him a power in the land.  Mr. Walker had much to do with securing tangible results for the force which Mr. Isitt’s harangues aroused, and in which the Liberal Party was to a large extent enrolled.  In 1893 the temperance leaders thought themselves strong enough to make sweeping demands of Parliament.  Ballance, the Liberal Premier, had just died; his party was by many believed to be disorganized.  In Sir Robert Stout, the Brougham of New Zealand public life, the Prohibitionists had a spokesman of boundless energy and uncommon hitting power in debate.  He tabled a Bill briefly embodying their complete demands, and it was read a second time.  Old parliamentary hands knew full well that the introduction of so controversial and absorbing a measure in the last session before a General Election meant the sacrifice for that year, at least, of most of the policy bills on labour, land, and other matters.  But, whether it would or would not have been better to postpone Licensing Reform to a Parliament elected to deal with it, as matters came to stand, there was no choice.  The Ministry tried to deal with the question on progressive, yet not unreasonable, lines.  A Local Option Bill was passed, therefore, and nearly every other important policy measure, except the Female Franchise Bill, went by the board—­blocked or killed in one Chamber or the other.  The hurried Government licensing measure of 1893 had of course to be expanded and amended in 1895 and 1896.  Now, though it has failed to satisfy the more thorough-going Prohibitionists, it embraces a complete and elaborate system of local option.  Except under certain extraordinary conditions, the existing number of licenses cannot be increased.  The licensing districts are coterminous with the Parliamentary electorates.  The triennial licensing poll takes place on the same day as the General Election, thus ensuring a full vote.  Every adult male and female resident may vote:  (1) to retain all existing licenses; or (2) to reduce the number of licenses, and (3) to abolish all licenses within the district.  To carry No. 3 a majority of three to two is requisite.  No compensation is granted to any licensed house thus closed.  Two local option polls have been held under this law.  The first resulted in the closing of some seventy houses and the carrying of a total prohibition of retail liquor sales in the district of Clutha.  Limited Prohibition has been the law in Clutha for some four years.  The accounts of the results thereof conflict very sharply.  In the writer’s opinion—­given with no great confidence—­the consumption of beer and wine there has been greatly reduced, that of spirits not very greatly.  There is much less open drunkenness.  In certain spots there is sly grog-selling with its concomitants of expense, stealthy drinking, and perjury.  The second general Licensing Poll was held in December, 1896.  Then for the first time it was taken on the same day as the Parliamentary elections.  In consequence the Prohibitionist vote nearly doubled.  But the Moderate vote more than trebled, and the attacking abstainers were repulsed all along the line, though they, on their side, defeated an attempt to recapture Clutha.