DISTURBANCE AT MEETING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 135, 19 March 1948, Page 3

DISTURBANCE AT MEETING

SPEAKER LEAVES PLATFORM

(P A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Mar. 18. A disturbance, the result of which was that the speaker left the platform before the meeting had ended, occurred in the Regent Theatre, New Plymouth, last night, St. Patricks The speaker was the Rev. Dr. St. Clair Taylor, director of the National Union of Protestants in England, who, in an interview after the meeting, said he had been subjected to “organised cat-calls and rowdyism.’ "It was a pity that opposition was organised to spoil the mooting, said Mr Taylor. “I was unable to answer questions, and was unable, to go on with the meeting as was originally intended.” , . „ After he had been speaking for an hour and a-half the opposition became turbulent, and although the chairman appealed repeatedly for order, opposition continued to burst out to/such art extent that be thought it would be unwise to carry the meeting ctny further. - . . , , An attempt to put a critical resolution to the meeting was unsuccessful. The mover said that as well as the critics of the speaker, there was a third section in the hall who were "heckling the hecklers.” They were Communists, he said. Subsequently an arrest was. made.