LICENSING BILL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19178, 8 December 1927, Page 8

LICENSING BILL.

REFORM PARTY SPLIT ?

[THE PRESS SpnAlal Service.]

AUCKLAND, December 7.

Of the three Auckland members of the Reform Party who supported the Licensing Bill in its original'form, Messrs V, H. Potter, A. Harris, and E. D. McLennan, only Mr Potter was prepared to make a statement on the views expressed by Mr T. D. Burnett. member for Temuka. Mr Burnett had declared the intention of the Prohibition section of the Reform Party to assert itself at the next caucus, holding that by the treatment accorded the Bill a majority of the popular Chamber had been flouted. He stated, too, that he must seriously consider his position in regard to the Party.

"I cordially endorse every word of Mr Burnett's manifesto," said Mr Potter He said he was in complete agreement with Mr Burnett's view that the measure • should not be "forgotten'' and shared the determination of the member for Temuka to compel the Government to accede to the will of 21 private members and six Cabinet Ministers out of the Reform Party membership of 50. "In the event of the measure not being permitted to come down at the beginning of next session and allowed to pass through all its stages without interference there will, -in my opinion, inevitably be a split among a large percentage of Reform members," said Mr Potter. "Mr Coates's attitude 1 regard as that of one dictating his will and opinions against those of the majority of his Party." Mr Harris, when approached, said that "not being conversant with the inner councils of his Party he was reluctant to express an opinion." VIEWS OF REFORM ASSOCIATION. (TRESS ASfCIXTIOH TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, December 7. The Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association to-day expressed disappointment at the manner in which licensing legislation had been approached by the Legislature, the failure, in the Association's opinion, being due to the Prohibition Party in extracting from candidates at last General Election hard" and fast pledges, and so preventing a large number of members from exercising their judgment in the interests of the Dominion as a whole.

While unable to agree with tho original provisions of the Bill, the Association placed on record its appreciation of the Prime Minister's desire to effect measures of real reform, and expressed admiration of Mr Coates's strong stand to save the Dominion from Prohibition on a bare majority on a catch vote. The Association hopes that political Parties will not permit official candidates to pledge themselves to outside organisations on matters not contained in their own Party platforms. It is gratified at the retention of the third issue.