A GRINNING SKELETON

NZ Truth, Issue 1080, 12 August 1926, Page 1

A GRINNING SKELETON

Reform Caucus and Licensing Legislation! '■■■.• . . . ' . ■ • • \ i ■' . ■ For many days the Parliamentary Reform Party has been engaged m the unpleasant occupation of vigorously hurling the Party .^ family skeleton round m Caucus m a fruitless effort to get rid of it. '

THE latest bulletin from the scene of activities, received m the lobbies ' of the House,- is to the effect -that the skeleton though badly mauled and sadly battered still haunts Gordon Coates and his unwieldy majority- with a malicious leer. , ' , It was. the Unusual caucus activity •m the Reform . Party some three weeks ago that,, first intrigued the Opposition and Na- . tional Party members. When this same activity developed from two meetings m the early part of one week into a third, and the party met m caucus during subsequent weeks about the same number of times, it required no extraordinary political insight to see that there was something mighty important. in the' wind. The Opposition members immediately concluded that m spite of 'his precautions the ' rank and file of Coates' party had managed to bump their heads together so soundly as. to produce disastrous 1 results. Labor pictured the big, tail of Reform Party writhing and thrashing about.in caucus to such an extent as to threaten the complete severance' of its head while m the throes of its agony. . What it was all about soon leaked out. Such things always do! Malcontents, ,_. ■•{■ ' \

'There is no doubt that a good deal of the noise •* arose ■tout of, the, usual acrimonious recriminations!, and the cracking of the party whips' over.! the malcontents; but by far the. loudest rdm was made when' the . party skeletonwas dug out of the /cupboard and its dry bones rattled before the meeting. >■ The grinning skeleton of the Liicen's'ing Bill effectively drowned all 'clamor for more caucus say arid considerably less Cabinet rule; . ; ••:, '.,.,.: .',,.; / •^ Those amongst the many who had tagged into Parliament behind Goates entirely, submerged m the, tig wave of his personal- popularity until'- cast high and v dry on the leather-cusTiioned benches,- if before unaware that 'the party had secretly pledged itself to legislation extending the time between the licensing polls, got something of a j01t. ...^ .;-;. .-..■■ /.■-.■■■..;. . -.', '.' : /' . ■--■ The Coates— McLeod Cabinet found that it was one thinn to' have the party secretly pledged to ex- . v tend the time between liquor, polls but to secure party unanimity on the question was a horse. of a difI ferent color entirely. , To put it blufttly, there were a niim-

ber who .would and then again there were quite a number, who would not vote for extension and. with neither faction . particularly enthusiastic about a show down m the Housa the family skeleton is getting a nasty rattle. Individual fear's being' at the root of; the trouble it is to be expected that Gordon Coates finds his reputation as the man who gets , things done a big handicap. / , It cuts no ice with the member who fears political . extinction next election if he votes for extension or with the fellow who. likewise sees the writing on the wall of ' the old homestead if he votes against extension. "Things Done?" ; Early m the! somewhat trenzied activities, of the party, to find a way out, an' inspired gentleman, ably supported by the whole meeting, joyfully resurrected the scheme to extend the Parliamentary . term from three years 'to five. :... '-.■■ . ' ■ ' ■■■. ■-■••• .•■ : ■' h In that way only lay safety. -', Having once p.ut this scheme into operation why worry further about licensing legislation as far as extension of time between polls was concerned? : Automatically Parliament would extend the, period between polls to fit m with 'the extension, of the 'normal, life of' the Government.' , . 'It would be jat cloak of sorts for the Government !-'-'>sP..**.- drape ab.qut itself though the garment might look very, threadbare aii!d; not over clean .to' the .electors/ . • ■:.-';..,"'.' -.'•'- '■, ' ■ ,' ■ •" '. From 'all- that can be gleaned, m the. lobbies this appears ■ to; be va's , far as the caucus ;; deliberations? have progressed .f or.^the l ' very 'excellent reason that neither- Labor nor National memr* bers favor , the; scheme.-, to. textend the tefm to five.years Ja.rid' thus.help the worried Coates- family out:: With all other parties m the chamber absolutely refusing to play m the R4form backyard over the licensing issuVit can •hardly be wondered at that ■thjß party ..itself ;• is • making such a pathetic noise m caucus. . The' outcome will at anyrate be interesting when the grinning - skeleton pops up m the House and the only garment covering its ratr tling bones that of "non-party ' , Bill." V .-'.:_ That secret pledge, hoAvever, will' keep the Reform Party, whips cracking and it x-emains to be seen what effect thtey will have on the restless majority.