STORMY MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 262, 5 November 1928, Page 9

STORMY MEETING.

MR. COATES IN NEW PLYMOUTH

"COUNTED OUT" TWICE. r::.:'' j;;m• :\;liti_.'.l fund. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. is early 3000 electors gathered in the Coronation Hall on Saturday night to hear the Prime Ministers' political address. The gathering consisted of lcpresentatives of all shades of political opinion, and it became evident at the outset that Mr. Coatcs was not going to have things all his own way. ihe Mayor commenced his introduction by saying, "If there is one man In New Zealand who is being talked about more than anyone else " whereupon a section of the opposition, which was well distributed all over the hall, yelled '•It's Harry Holland." This set the key for the meeting, and Mr. Coates' address was frequently interrupted when he made reference to the policies of the opposing parties and to their criticisms of the Government. He treated the interjections good-humour-cdly, though his answers to some were curt and others were pushed aside as unworthy of notice. A strong section of the crowd, which was in a body at the back of the hall, twice counted Mr., Coates out, but he waited for them to finish and then proceeded with his address. While speaking of the criticism by the Labour and United parties of the Government's expenditure on public works, Mr. Coates referred to the amounts spent on various departments and said the Opposition never moved in tiie House to reduce the expenditure on public works. What are all these things which they would cut out? he asked. A Voice: Cut out Coates. When realing with the railways and the appointment of Mr. H. H. Sterling at a salary of £3500 per annum, an elector shouted, "Why don't you give him nine bob a day?" A written question which was handed in asked the Prime Minister to explain where the Reform party got its money for advertising. Mr. Coates said the questioner had not enclosed his name. "That's my question," called out a young man in the second row, who had been responsible for a good amount or interjections. "The money is a voluntary contribution from citizens from all over the Dominion," said the Prime Minister. "Why don't you publish them, as the 'N.Z. Worker' does?" "You really don't believe that, do you?" asked Mr. Coates. . "Yes," was the reply. "Then you must be very green," said Mr. Coates. When a resolution of thanks for Mr. Coates' address and confidence in him and the Reform party was proposed there were loud shouts of "No," and an amendment was submitted offering thanks only, but it was put and declared lost, apparently before the opposition at the back <?f the hall had quieted down sufficiently to be aware of what was happening. There was a good body of dissent when the motion was put and loud counter-cheers for Harry Holland were given and the Prime Minister was again "counted out." Close to the stage the piping voice of a lady supporter raised the cry of "He's a jolly good fellow," but found no support, and her solo effort was wasted on an unappreciative audience. Mr. Coates' concluding remark, amidst the disturbance, was, "You'll have to organise better than that "boys; yon don't know the first thing about it." As the audience dispersed one of the interjectors from the back advanced to near the platform and protested that they had not had a fair opportunity of voting on the amendment.