A LIVELY INTERLUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 255, 27 October 1928, Page 12

A LIVELY INTERLUDE.

COMMUNIST DISCOVERED. CANDIDATE TURNS THE TABLE. A great ovation was accorded Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, United party candidate for Eden, last evening at the Jubilee Hall, Kingsland.. The hall was crowded. Mr. Langley (Deputy-Mayor) presided. The candidate delivered a searching review of Reform's "incompetent administration," and put up a fine .case for the United party. There was a lively exchange between a declared Labour supporter and the candidate. A youth in the front of the hall had failed in a persistent attempt to associate Mr. Stallworthy with some sectarian pamphlet for which the candidate said he had no responsibility whatever. Not satisfied, the youth demanded to know if the candidate approved of the British Government's action in ruthlessly shooting down the defenceless Chinese women and children. Mr. Stallworthy replied sternly by asking another question, "Are you not proud of the British Empire?" The youth faltered a moment, but skilfully and masterfully the candidate drew 1 him on. At last the answer came, "Not exactly." "Then, the sooner you get out of it the better," declared Mr. Stallworthy, amidst great applause. But the candidate was not yet finished with the questioner, who had evidently met more than his match. "Are you one of those secret emissaries of the Communist party nettinc monev from Russia?" The youth pleaded that he had missed the last part of it. It was repeated with searching enjp'iasis, and the candidate wrung from the youth the admission that he was a Communist, but he denied getting any money. "Let me tell you, misguided young man, you will have more wisdom as you get older. Now I understand the sublety of that disgraceful manoeuvre of yours a little while ago to drag in the question of religion. It was not for the sake of 'religion, pure and undefiled,' but for the sake of your God-dishonouring and Empire-destroying cult. I want to tell you," added Mr. Stallworthy, "that I am fighting your gang to the death." (Bursts of applause.) The youth stood, flushed and excited, as Mr. Stallworthy went on to charge him with enjoying the safety and freedom of the finest and freest Empire in the world, while he was a traitor to it. "You ought to take the first boat and leave the country," he said. "I have no time for those creatures who applaud every country but their own." (Cheers.)

The "misguided youth" made one more desperate attempt at a question, but Mr. Stallworthy silenced him with, "I would not waste another word on you. You are beneath contempt." (Prolonged applause.) At the close oT the meeting Mr. Stallworthy was given a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence on the motion of Mr. Forbes-Eadie and Mr. Chappell. The latter remarked that the candidate had lifted politics In Eden to the highest level of discussion the district had ever known.