PLEDGES AND POLITICS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19161, 18 November 1927, Page 12

PLEDGES AND POLITICS.

tO THE EDITOR OF THX PBESS. Sir,—You are shocked (naturally) at the idea of the New Zealand Alliance demanding ana! candidates giving pledges on the licensing question. Of course the whole thing is very wicked. Candidates may give pledges to farmers' . unions, trade unions, or reform unions, but must not under any circumstances give pledges to the New Zealand Alliance. You profess "not to know" why Mr Tapley gave his pledge, but two inches only, of reading matter separate this statement from another: "There are other members .... who gave these pledges simply because they were afraid that_ if tliey did not they would! antagonise the Prohibition vote." Can you not suggest a reason why Mr Tapley gave his pledge. If at tile nest election Mr Lyons contests the Lyttelton seat against Mr McCombs, you may possibly prevail on the former gentleman to refuse to give his pledge to the Alliance, but more probably you will forget to emphasise the matter. The Raglan election is still fresh in the minds of most politicians.—Yours, etc., F. 0. SHACKLOCK. Christchurch, November 17th. [We really do not know why Mr Tapley gave his pledges, but we are quite sure that the more experienced members, of all Parties, who gave their pledges, did so in most cases for the reason stated by us. We refer to our correspondent's letter in our leader columns.—Ed. The Peess. J