REFORM CAUCUS

Evening Star, Issue 19843, 17 April 1928, Page 1

REFORM CAUCUS

LICENSING ISSUE LIKELY TO BE RAISED The caucus ot the Reform Party members of Parliament to he held today promises to bo of much interest. It is understood that the primary purpose in calling the caucus is to discuss legislation for the coming session and matters pertaining to the internal organisation of the party. In political circles it is fully expected that the licensing issue will be raised at, the caucus by those members who are anxious to see the two-issue ballot paper and the bare majority carried. Reference to this aspect of the caucus was made to a ‘Post’ reporter by Mr C. R. Edmond, general secretary ol the New Zealand Alliance.

“ It has been reported in the Press that a caucus of the Reform Party will be held on Tuesday next to consider matters of organisation, and internal policy generally,” said Air Edmond. “ It is further’stated in the report that there is no foundation for the-sugges-tion that members are being called together to discuss the licensing question. This is, no doubt, a true statement of the intentions ot those responsible for the calling of the caucus, hut in view of the position of licensing legislation as it was loft last session it is_ difficult to imagine the Reform Parly discussing general internal policy without specifically dealing with the question of licensing legislation. There is no lack of evidence throughout the dominion that a large section of the electors is expecting the Government to give Parliament the opportunity of dealing with licensing legislation during the coming session of Parliament. It is also evident that this fact lias impressed itself on the individual members of the Reform Party in the House so strongly thnt some are of the opinion that continued obstruction to democratic licensing legislation on the part of the Reform Party leaders will compel them seriously to consider their relation to the party and the Government. “While it is admitted that tlie_Lcgislative Council was acting within its legal rights in amending the vital clauses of the Licensing Amendment Bill of 1927. in general the electors have their own opinion as to the reason why the Legislative Council refused to pass the Bill ns it left the House of Representatives, and thereby killed the Bill.

“It is well to remember that when the Licensing Bill of last session passed its third reading in the House it contained a provision for a two-issue ballot paper, the question to be decided on a simple majority. In this form it was supported by thirty-two members of the Reform Party, including six Ministers of file Crown, whereas only twentyone members of that party, including the Prime Minister and four other Ministers of the Crown, opposed the Bill.

NO CHANGE/ IN OPINION. “ On the last day of the last session a strong deputation of those members of the Reform Party who favour the two-issue ballot paper with tiie simple majority waited on the Prime Minister and requested him to facilitate,the passage of a Licensing Bill containing these provisions during the coming session. ft was then understood by some of those members that a caucus would held early this year in order to discuss this question. As far as wo arc aware, the coming caucus is the first meeting of the party .since the close of last session, and there is no evidence that there has been any change in the opinion of those member;- during the interim. In fact, in the minds of some members the question of licensing legislation has assumed still greater importance.

• “ As the control of the Order £tpor in the House is in the hands o; the Prime Minister, who is the Lender of the Reform Party, it is obvious that the question of the introducing and passing of a Licensing Bill during the coming session is one which vitally concerns the members of the Reform Party. For this reason we believe that the question, being one of extreme importance, can hardly escape consideration when the party meets io discuss the question ot internal policy. The issue has become a much wider one than merely a matter of licensing legislation, it now being a question of the right of the elected representatives of the people to decide effectively a question which affects the hash- principle of democratic government—namely, one elector, one vote, and ail votes of equal value. The situation as it. terminated last session amounted actually to political discrimination in favour of vested interest as against ihe democratic rights ol the community. STTLI HOPEFUL.

“The New Zealand Alliance is.still hopeful that the Government will give the electors of ibis dominion (he.right to vole at the next licensing referendum on a two-issne ballot paper, containing the two live issues—namely, Continuance and Prohibition—the question to ho decided by (he democratic method nf simple majority ’’

It will be recalled that after the close of last, session, when there was talk nf a Reform caucus early this year, Mr T. D. Rurneti, Reform member for Temnka, stated in an interview that a serious position was likely to develop within the Reform Party regarding licensing legislation. He said that the Prohibition members of tho parly intended to assert themselves at the caucus, and that while he yielded to no ■one in hi.s allegiance to tho Reform Party, when firmness in a Prime Minister degenerated into obstinacy, and was cutting across (he expressed will nf the people, ho had seriously to consider hi.s position in regard to the party and the Government. PARTY LOYALTY.

'When the caucus is considering questions of internal organisation, it is not unlikely that, the general question of loyalty to the party will bo touched upon. At the beginning ol ■ tin’s month tho Hon. A. D, M‘Lcod. chairman of the New Zealand Political Reform League, stated that suggestions-hail been made through the Press that certain members previously supporting the Reform Party intended to stand as Independents at the coming election. Air MT.eod said flint, although he as chairman of the league had not been definitely informed to thnt effect hy tho members in question, unless satisfactory guarantees could he got from the gentlemen concerned that they would support tho party on crucial divisions tlie Reform Party held itself free to contest their scats.