A LIBERAL CAUCUS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10846, 11 March 1921, Page 5

A LIBERAL CAUCUS

EIGHT MEMBERS PRESENT “ONLY THE WILFORD LIBERALS PRESENT.” A “CERTAIN COURSE OF ACTION.” A caucus of the Liberal Party was held yesterday morning in the room of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. Wilford). All the members of the party were present o r accounted for. The caucus, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., considered the various questions which will come before Parliament during tho coming session and the grave matters for consideration at the present time, and decided unanimously on a course of action to be taken. MANY NOT PRESENT. The official report of the Liberal caucus, supplied to the Press Gallery, being so very short, a “Times” representative asked a number of Liberal members if they could supply any further information on the matter; but was informed by two or three of them %hat they themselves had not been present, and could therefore say nothing as to what had taken place. “WE ARE SEVEN.” Mr G. Witty (Riccarton), approached, said:—“Only the Wilford Liberals were present at tbe so-called ‘caucus’ meeting. Not one of tho old Ward Liberals ivas there, and not one had any intention of being there. There were only at the most seven out of eighteen Liberals' present, and it was not a true representation of the Liberal Party.” AL- T. K. Sidey (Dunedin Central) said that he was present; but for any further details he referred our representative to Mr Wilford, the leader of the party. STATEMENT BY AIR WILFORD. Mr Wilford, on being interviewed, stated that* he could add very little to the official report that had been supSlied to tho Press. The meeting had iscussed finance, the prorogation of Parliament, the Prime Minister’s proposed trip, the moratorium, and one or two other matters that-, apparently, were not in the Government programme. The meeting, as reported, had decided unanimously upon a certain course of action, and what that course of action was, had been shown by the action taken in the House. When told that our representative had been informed that only seven members had been present, Mr Wilford replied that all the members of the party, some of whom were pot yet in Wellington, were either present or accounted for. From other and qnite reliable sources we understand that the njimber of members present at the caucus meeting was eight—Messrs Wilford, Sidey, Forbes, lsitt, Ngata, Horn, Masters, and Edie.