in ism ▁and ▁d run ken ness , ▁were ▁growing ▁in ▁society . ▁In cre asing ▁urban isation ▁height ened ▁public ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁the ▁gap ▁between ▁social ▁asp ir ations ▁and ▁reality ▁of ▁the ▁young ▁col ony . ▁General is ations ▁from ▁newsp apers , ▁visit ing ▁speak ers ▁& ▁polit icians ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁allowed ▁development ▁of ▁large ▁public ▁over re action ▁and ▁fer v our ▁to ▁the ▁magnitude ▁of ▁the ▁problem ▁of ▁alco hol . ▁ ▁Political ▁action ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁the ▁Al co hol ic ▁Li qu ors ▁S ale ▁Control ▁Act ▁aligned ▁lic ens ing ▁districts ▁with ▁parliament ary ▁elect or ates . ▁Lic ens ing ▁pol ls ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁with ▁each ▁general ▁election . ▁There ▁were ▁now ▁three ▁options ▁to ▁choose ▁from . ▁These ▁were ▁" continu ance ▁of ▁the ▁" status ▁qu o ", ▁reduction ▁of ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁liqu or ▁lic ences ▁by ▁ 2 5 ▁percent , ▁and ▁" local ▁no - lic ence " ▁which ▁would ▁prevent ▁public ▁sale ▁of ▁alco hol ▁within ▁that ▁elect or ate . ▁Cont inu ance ▁and ▁reduction ▁only ▁needed ▁a ▁majority , ▁but ▁local ▁no ▁lic ence ▁needed ▁three - fif th s ▁majority . ▁From ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁national ▁prohib ition ▁became ▁the ▁third ▁choice ▁instead ▁of ▁reduction ▁of ▁lic ences ▁– ▁need ing ▁a ▁three - fif th s ▁majority . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 4 , ▁Cl