▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁sens ing ▁a ▁growing ▁feeling ▁of ▁w ow ser ism , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁M asse y ▁l amb asted ▁Dal mat ian ▁wine ▁as ▁" a ▁de grad ing , ▁dem oral izing ▁and ▁sometimes ▁mad den ing ▁drink ." ▁Another ▁refer endum ▁was ▁held ▁this ▁year ▁with ▁ 4 9 ▁percent ▁voting ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁prohib ition . ▁The ▁three - fif th s ▁majority ▁was ▁replaced ▁with ▁a ▁fifty ▁percent ▁majority . ▁The ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁election ▁was ▁delayed ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁introduced ▁mand atory ▁early ▁closing ▁of ▁bars ▁and ▁pub s . ▁This ▁created ▁a ▁phenomen on ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" six ▁o ' clock ▁sw ill " — a ▁culture ▁of ▁heavy ▁drink ing ▁developed ▁during ▁the ▁time ▁between ▁finishing ▁work ▁at ▁ 5 ▁pm ▁and ▁the ▁mand atory ▁closing ▁time ▁only ▁an ▁hour ▁later . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁a ▁national ▁poll ▁for ▁continu ance ▁was ▁carried ▁with ▁ 5 1 %, ▁due ▁only ▁to ▁votes ▁of ▁the ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force ▁soldiers ▁returning ▁from ▁Europe . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁prohib ition ▁gained ▁ 4 9 . 7 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote ; ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 4 3 , 7 6 2 ▁votes ▁originally ▁cast , ▁the ▁prohib ition ▁lo bb y