ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 269, 13 November 1928, Page 12

ELECTION CAMPAIGN

UPROAR AT PONSONBY. MUCH COUNTING OUT. HOSTILE DEMONSTRATION. MR. COAXES HOLDS HIS OWN. Wen ring a broad grin, the Prime Jlinistcr arrived at the West End Theatre last niglit an hour late. He had been Hi'hrduled to speak at 9.10, but it Viis well after ton o'clock before Mr. ami Mrs. Coates and party took their Boats. The theatre was crammed to eulVot'iil ion, and thousands outside were Struggling for admission.

From 8 till 10 o'clock, Mr. F. Adeane, iJpform candidate for Auckland West, had been endeavouring to address the audience with little success. He was heckled unmercifully. About 10 o'clock Mr. Adeane gave up politics for funny stories, which were cut short by rounds of jeers and br/>hs from the crowd outside, signalising the Prime Minister's arrival.

Pandemonium reigned when Mr. Con tun walked on to the platform, and tlipn began organised '"counting out." The crowd in the street repeated the count when the audience finished. Mr. Coates smiled blandly, picked up a decunter, poured himself a tumblerful of water with a flourish, and raised it to liis lips with a "cheerio!" gesture. More yells.

"Hello! It looks as though you are all here to-night!" began the Prime Minister. This provoked an indescribable din. "As far as I can see, the battle is going all my way!"

Above the uproar: You big stiff! You've got & nerve!

Loud cheers were given for Labour, and Mr. Coates was again counted out. "Thank you very muchJ" retorted Mr. Coates. "Only Auckland West could give me such a hearty reception. (Applauso from the reserved seats.) All this time "a score of policemen were struggling with the seething crowd outside the hall. A side door had been opened, and the crowd battled to gain admission. Women in the audience took fright, and began to leave the hall to escape a possible stampede. Policemen pushed and heaved in the doorway, and the crowd cheered their efforts.

Mr. Coates was heard saying something about holding the scales of justice evenly, and keeping the balance of power between all classes. The audience was more interested in the fight in the doorway. Police reinforcements hurried across the hall.

"You have got a stable Government in New Zealand to-day," continued Mr. Coates. "New Zealand has enjoyed a greater measure of industrial peace than "

The rest was lost in uproar, cries of "Rats!" predominating. "There are only two parties in this fight!" ho went on. A Voice: Good old Harry Holland. (Cheers and "counting out.")

Mr. Coates: Yes, Mr. Holland is a good Leader of the Opposition, and you should keep a good man in the right'place. A vote for the United party is a vote for Labour. , Delirious cheers, within and without. Mr. Coatee: In 1925 we went to the country with a definite policy, and you have had A Voice: Soup kitchens and 9/ a day. Mr. Coates: And you have had promise and performance. At 10.25 the outside crowd made a concerted attack on the side door. There were organised heaves, and the policemen strained every muscle to repulse the attack. "It's a shame! It's a shame!" exclaimed a woman. "Look at those poor cops!" (Laughter.) Mr. Coatee stopped talking, and someone started to make a noise on a mouth organ. "11l RO when you stop," said Mr. Coates, helping himself to more water. At 10.30, after an exhausting tussle with the mob outside, the police got the door shut, and removed helmets to wipe streaming brows. From this on, the audience became more and more quiet. To give Mr. Coates hie due, lie certainly did gain control of the meeting, and was able to get down to business. After fifteen minutes, the interjections heard were almost friendly. "With big, fat mortgages on them?" came a voice, when Mr. Coatee men* tioned the number of farms in the country. Mr. Coates :• You don't like mortgages? "No!" Mr. Coates: Then you don't believe In tho United party? "No!" Mr. Coates nodded and smiled, whereat an interjpctor cried: "You are frightened of them, juet the same, Gordon!" "You went into Parliament as ft Liberal, you big twister!" came from the back. Mr. Coates: Yes, and I'm still the biggest Liberal in New Zealand!

Towards 11 o'clock the meeting had become so subdued that people began to jyo home. "Good-night, Gorden!" called some departing youths.

"Good-night, boys!" returned the Premier cheerily.

Mr. Coates wound up by saying he could depend on the electors of Auckland West to return Mr. Adeane. The audience rocked and roared in giant glee. The counting out began again, someone moved a vote of confidence, reserved eeatlioldcrs clapped loyally, and the back scats boohed. The crowd without recchoed the boohs, and the meeting broke up in disorder. The jeers and boohs were heard at the Three Lamps.