HEARING REFUSED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 299, 29 September 1938, Page 3

HEARING REFUSED

MR SCRIMGEOUR AT TIRAU. ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS MEETING. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 28. Greeted by uproar and harassed by a constant barrage of interjections, the Controller of the Commercial Broadcasting Service (Mr C. G. Scrimgeour) was refused a hearing by a section ol a large audience at Tirau to-night. There was no serious attempt to interrupt Mr A. I'. Moncur, M.P. for Rotorua, when lie spent two hours outlining the list of Labour benefits; but when Mr Scrimgeour was called on to speak a noisy demonstration occurred, and almost continuous interjections persisted. Finally, after 1.5 minutes’ effort to make himself heard, he was forced to resume his seat. More than 400 persons, representative of a wide district, crowded the hall, and so thick was the crush that the doors wore shut 20 minutes before Mr Moncur commenced his address. Scores of persons were accommodated in the adjoining supper-room. Others stood on the road outside the building, or perched precariously on window-sills, whilst many others stood in the aisles and on the stage itself.

It was apparent from the outset of Mr Scrimgeour’s speech that he would be subject to severe heckling, and he experienced the greatest difficulty in uttering a few words without uproar and cross-talk developing in the audience. A constable in the body of the hall was almost powerless to secure a better hearing. Mr Moncur had commenced speaking when Mr Scrimgeour arrived, but his remarks were interrupted by a furious volley of cheers, applause, cat-calls and booing. The uproar was renewed as Mr Scrimgeour mounted the platform, and when In* was briefly introduced by 7 Mr Moncur. Mr Scrimgeour had been due at Tirau for a social function, but he had been unable to attend, Mr Moncur explained. He was in the district this week, and he had expressed a wish to see something of his unseen radio audience. A voice: Because the election is near. (Applause and laughter.) Mr Moncur: 1 am on the box seat tonight and Scrim is going . . . Here he was again interrupted by an outburst, of cheers, dissent, and laughter. An Interrupted Story. Continuing, Mr Moncur said Mr Scrimgeour had to sit and cool his heels in the meantime. He added that when the chairman had asked for a fair hearing for a public speaker, Voices: For you. Mr Moncur: We wjll give you a fair hearing. Although a section of Ins audience was obviously hostile to his policy, Mr Moncur had no difficulty in coping with sallies from members of the crowd, as he proceeded with his address. He outlined the benefits brought by Labour rule to the Dominion. The announcement of Mr Scrimgeour as the succeeding speaker was also greeted with relative silence. Mr Scrimgeour said that ho. was not really at Tirau to speak at all; lie was really there as a visitor.

A voice (amid cries of dissent): We are pleased you came. Wo wanted to see you. Repeating that he had not visited Tirau as a speaker, Mr Scrimgeour said that ho had been unavoidably prevented from attending a social function at Tirau earlier, and as he was in the district, several of his friends said they would like him to go along to the hall this evening. “When I came in and received such a warm welcome,” he continued, amid laughter, “I was reminded of an incident in our home, when our little girl, who had a dog—” Voices: Bow-wow.

Mr Scrimgeour: We will give him a job at the studio as sound effect man. Repeated attempts were made by Mr Scrimgeour to complete his description of the incident, but without success. One interjector demanded “What it had to do with Mickey Savage.” When Mr Scrimgeour asked if the audience wished him to finish the story, a chorus of assent was broken by a cry of, “No. Let’s go home, boys.” This in turn provoked a demand for ejectment, and tho suggestion from the hack of the hall that one member ol tbe audience should be put out of a window.

“Those who -do not desire to listen to Mr Scrimgeour, please pass out now,” requested the chairman (Mr H. T. Brill). “There is no possibility of bis speaking with this noise going on. It is only fair to give him a hearing.” Later Mi; Scrimgeour resumed his seat. When the chairman called! for thanks, the audience applauded. NORTHERN MAORI SEAT. THREE NOMINATIONS RECEIVED. AUCKLAND, September 28. Three nominations have so far been received for the northern Maori seat, these including the present sitting member, Mr Tan Henare, who is a Nationalist. The other nominated candidates are Mr Hoori Taretainna, ol Kaikohe. and Mr Para ire Karaka Paikea, of Wellington, who is secretary of the Maori Advisory Council ol tho Labour Party. AUCKLAND WEST SEAT. NEW NATIONAL CANDIDATE. AUCKLAND, September 28. The candidature of Mr J. W. Kcalv, jun., to represent tho National Party in the Auckland West electorate at the General Election, was decided upon by financial members of the party in the electorate to-night. Mr Kealy takes the place of Mr H. M. Bagnall,

who was previously chosen but recently decided Ifcat he would not be able to undertake the campaign.