LABOUR AND LIQUOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 378, 12 June 1928, Page 8

LABOUR AND LIQUOR

PARTY DIVIDED ON POLICY " PROHIBITIONISTS ACTIVE (From Our Resident Reporter) WELLINGTON, Mondav The Policy of the New Zea ,- Labour Party on the licensing Q J tion has in the past been one of n * frailty; members of the party given a free hand to vote as thev th “! fit. At the last annual conferen~ of the party an unsuccessful attem' was made to get a motion throng calling upon all supporters of Übow at the next referendum to record theLvotes against the liquor trade, hibitionist members of the party ho* ever, are apparently not willing to w the matter rest there. It Is understood that during the pan few weeks a body known as the Lah, our Anti-liquor League has bee, formed in New Zealand with the object of influencing public opinion a; the next general election, says tv “Evening Post.” No official' state, ment regarding the league has beet issued; but it is stated that the m OTe . ment has received support not only from the rank and file of the Labon Party, but from one or two prominent members of the party in Pailiament. An executive representative of vanous parts of New Zealand has been elected, and a well-known Labour member has been mentioned as otcupying an important office. It Is considered very unlikely thai the league will receive anv reconi tion from the Labour Part}', which has always endeavoured to steer a middle course on the licensing question, h is well known, however, that the Lab.

our members of Parliament are sharply divided on the liquor quee. tion, and interesting developments are expected when the Prime Minister introduces a Licensing Amendment Bill during the coming session. One Wellington Labour member when spoken to regarding the forma’ tion of the league, stated that he knew nothing of the matter, which had not been referred to the Labour Party's executive. If there was such a movement, it should be understood by tie public that it did not come from the Labour Party.