The PLP's branch organisations overwhelmingly support Premier Jennifer Smith as party leader, according to chairman Neville Tyrrell.

But at least one branch organisation needs to make some more enquiries before it can make a definitive statement on how its members feel about the leadership issue.

Ms Smith was asked to resign by members of the party's parliamentary group in late May. She refused and the matter was put to a vote which resulted in a tie between the 18 members present. In the weeks that followed the branches held meetings with their parliamentary representatives and constituents to clarify exactly what had happened and gauge reaction from grassroot party supporters.

Each branch was expected to submit a report of their meetings to the PLP central committee.

"The leader certainly has a vast amount of support among the branches," said Mr. Tyrrell.

For Hamilton Parish branch leader Charles Daniels, the only certainty is a need to discuss the issue some more.

"I cannot identify a consensus saying let's have a new leader," said Hamilton Parish branch chairman Charles Daniels. I think people are in a holding pattern. There could be as many people saying we need a new leader as saying `let's work this out'."

The branch, which has not yet submitted a report to the central committee, is planning to hold another meeting soon which will be open to the public.

"There is some concern everyone has in terms of style and what we want to see. We've really got to talk through these things," he added.

Just about a dozen people of the approximately 200 members of the branch attended the meeting at which the leadership issue was discussed.

Mr. Daniels said that the attendance was less than average for a regular branch meeting but he couldn't say why.

It could well be apathy, he speculated, or it could mean that many of those who stayed away support the Premier as leader and did not want to hear negative things said about her.

In the immediate wake of the leadership vote, Mr. Daniels expressed concern that there might be a rerun of events in the early eighties when the party split into several factions - leading to an exodus and the formation of the National Liberal Party and a fall in the PLP's share of seats in parliament had dropped from 18 to about half a dozen. Yesterday he said he was only anxious about having the public meeting. "I really want to know where our constituents are coming from."