At least three Progressive Labour Party members have resigned from Hamilton Rotary Club in protest of its treatment of the Opposition Leader.

The Royal Gazette has learned that Opposition Senate Leader Sen. Milton Scott, veteran MP Mr. Reginald Burrows, and lawyer Ms Elizabeth Christopher have all left the community service club.

The resignations came after the club refused to allow PLP Leader Mr. Frederick Wade to speak at its media-covered weekly luncheon before next Tuesday's referendum.

Sen. Scott, who tendered his resignation last week, said the club had allowed Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan, who is for Independence, and Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge, who is against it, to address its members.

But he said Hamilton Rotary president Mr. Jan Spiering told him the club had "no intention of allowing Mr. Wade to speak'' at its weekly luncheon at The Princess.

The club did not want to get involved in the political realm, Sen. Scott said he was told.

As a result of that, he said: "I felt that I could no longer be a part of an organisation that can treat Mr. Wade with such contempt.'' Sen. Scott said the club was breaking its own rule "being fair to all''.

But Mr. Spiering said the committee responsible for selecting speakers decided to invite Sir John and Mr. Woolridge because they had differing views on Independence.

The speakers were told they could speak on Independence only, Mr. Spiering said, not the referendum.

And while both mentioned the referendum, he said: "We felt that inviting anyone else would be digging ourselves deeper into an area we did not want to get involved in.'' Mr. Spiering said he found the resignations "regretful''.

"I think that is something that we will be addressing as a club,'' he added.

"We will be looking at our full policy as a club.'' Mr. Wade said yesterday Hamilton Rotary was not the only organisation treating the PLP unfairly.

He said the Hamilton Lions Club and the Corporation of Hamilton had also snubbed the party which is encouraging its voters to abstain from the referendum.

Hamilton Lions -- who earlier had lawyer Mr. Peter Smith and principal Mr.

Dale Butler speak on Independence -- had asked the PLP to come up with a lay person to address the issue at their luncheon yesterday, Mr. Wade said.

But when the PLP suggested former MP and lawyer Mr. Julian Hall, the club informed the party that it had to postpone Mr. Hall's address until after the referendum.

Instead education officer Mrs. Janette Musson -- who heads Lions Quest, which teaches primary students self-discipline, good judgment, and responsibility -- spoke at the club's luncheon yesterday.

Hamilton Lions president Mrs. Marian Sherratt said the club decided to change speakers because it was under a deadline to find volunteers for the programme which is to be launched in September.

Mrs. Sherratt said the club -- which she stressed always tried to present a balanced view on every issue -- had also decided it would not have any more speakers on Independence until after the referendum.

"Our doors have been open for 18 months,'' she said.

Storm over Wade snub "We felt as the (advance) polls were now open, we would let the people make their decision without interference.

"But we will have speakers after the referendum, speaking about how the referendum result will affect us. So our doors are definitely not closed.'' Mr. Wade also said the Corporation of Hamilton had refused the party's request to hold a rally in Victoria Park, while members of the Coalition for the Independence of Bermuda -- including Sir John, National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell, and lawyer Mr. Philip Perinchief -- held a Press conference in the same location yesterday.

"We're seeing institutions in Bermuda demonstrating a clear bias and refusing to allow the PLP to use their venues as a platform to present our position on Independence,'' he said. "But they have allowed other parties to do this.

"It is so unfortunate that these clubs are so narrow-minded and shallow. They should know you can't kill an idea by trying to silence us.'' Corporation of Hamilton secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt said the Corporation had a policy of not allowing rallies and any "major events of a political nature'' at City Hall or in parks.