MR. WILKINSON, M.P., AND SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 74, 21 December 1918, Page 8

MR. WILKINSON, M.P., AND SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Sir,—A great deal of nonsense waa written by Mr. Wilkinson in his letter to you ■ concerning this subject, and his altitude towards, it in particular. Penetrating all hie camouflage, let us go to tho kvriiel of the mutter. He tnys, "that bo far as members of Parliament are concerned no pact, no arrangement of any account relating to the eale of liquor hail been mudo at any period since the commencement of the war. so that there cannot bo any breach of faith as has been .suggested.". That is Mr. Wilkin-. eon's statement to you as a member" of. Parliament. There was an arrangement made, and it is an established pact, and that arran»ement and that pact are embodied in Clause 12 of tho Sale of Liquor Restriction Act of the last session. AVhat ia that clause? Here it is: This Act shall remain in force during the continuance of the present war with Germany, and for six months thereafter, and no longer. ' That was the Act, which in its third clause provided for six o'clock closing on those terms, and on those terms only. Six o'clock closing was to continue durii>"' tho , war, and for six months after and no longer, yet Mr. Wilkinson, as a member of Parliament, has Hie assurance to write in your columns that no pact,no arrangement of any account relating to the sale of liquor.- had been made at any period since the commencement of the war, and that as a conclusion there was no breach of faith. There was a breach of faith. There was a conspiracy, or cabal, to use a softev term, and the. members of that cabal were Messrs. Malcolm, Diclfton (of Port Chalmers), Wilkinson (the writer of the loiter), the Rev.- L. M. Isitt. ami Mr. Nosworthy, of Ashburtou. . llicso were tho leaders of tins cabal to destroy the pact and denounce the arrangement they themselves had made. They inveigled others into their support. Admitted that it is competent for Parliament to amend any Act of its own passing, there was in this Act referred to a 'specific guarantee given that six o'clock closing would last no longer than the conclusion'of the war arid six months after. ~ _ Ml the talk and verbiage of .Mr. C. \ Wilkinson cannot rub out the action of those members of Parliament who, without notice to their chief. sprung upon Parliament in the sinall hours in the morning so harmful an amendment to the Licensing Act affecting the business interests of a large section of the community, and interfering with tbe rights and liberties of the vast majority nf our citizens who had submitted to the restrictions n-i Hie ouiet, fall-wiou* nlea Hint six o'clock closing was intended to help win the war.-I am^ TicuS]