LICENSING ISSUE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 83, 6 January 1928, Page 10

LICENSING ISSUE

POSITION OF REFORM PARTY SPECIAL CAUCUS UNLIKELY COMPROMISE AIMED AT Speculation to the contrary notwithstanding, there are no indications that a special caucus of the Reform Party will be held this month to consider the situation that has arisen over the licensing question (writes This Dominion’s Parliamentary representative). The deceased Licensing Amendment Bill was dealt with by Parliament last session on strictly non-party lines, and on the main issue the Labour Party was divided as equally as were the Government forces. In the channels of compromise lay the solution of the difficulties standing in the way of placing a satisfactory measure on the Statute Book. It is known that the _ Prime Minister was prepared—and still is—to probe that method of settlement to the full. The bare majority issue was, of course, the obstacle. Pledged to the hilt on that question, the members of the party supporting prohibition would not budge an inch, whereas the Prime Minister was ’prepared to give

way to a certain extent, insisting, however, on the retention of some provision for a percentage majority decision, so as to have enforcement guaranteed in the event of prohibition being carried. Determination by 52} per cent, was regarded by many as a fair compromise; but it is believed that Mr. Coates would have gone as far as to accept 52 per cent., in order to save the other parts of the Bill which he considered to be desirable machinery for the improvement of existing conditions. A Fundamental Plank. Determination of the licensing question by a bare majority is a fundamental plank in the platform of the Prohibitionist Party, and its statutory enactment has been the subject of a long fight, and will, no doubt, continue to be so. It does not follow, though, that all the prominent supporters of the cause are, on this occasion, nailed head and feet to that plank. It is stated, in fact, that, as far as last session’s Bill is concerned, a reasonable compromise, in preference to party division, would lie acceptable to some. It is further stated that some supporters of prohibition, outside the House as well as inside it, have not abandoned hopes of a settlement of the difficulties and are working for a compromise that will form the basis of a Bill which will go through without trouble next session. Effort to Acquire Political Capital. Iji the meantime certain quarters are attempting to make political capital out of the outspoken utterances of the Reform member for Temuka (Mr. T. D. Burnett), who was prominent in the negotiations with the Prime Minis- j ter on the Bill. One of the state- 1 ments attributed to Mr. Burnett was that “the voice of the people is going to be upheld at all. costs, no matter whose personal feelings are hurt or cut across.” Presumable these remarks bear on the bare majority issue; and.

they assume that, because so many Government members who signed the New Zealand Alliance pledge were returned at the last elections, a mandate was expressed in favour of a bare majority. This creates, then, a second assumption—that licensing was the overshadowing issue at those elections, which was not the case.

So far as is known, the Reform Party caucus tin’s year will be held at the customary time, prior to the commencement of the session.