EXCITING MOMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 103, 3 May 1935, Page 3

EXCITING MOMENTS.

MR. STALLWORTHY'S ADDRESS

CHALLENGE TO THE RING,

Several exciting incidents occurred in the Concert Chamber last evening during the course of an address by Mr. A. J. Stallwortliy, M.P., one of the three candidats for tlie city mayoralty. An offensive remark by a questioner was indignantly resented by the candidate, who offered to settle with liis traducer "in the ring," a challenge which drew loud applause. Nothing was heard of the incident for some time until the same man, who appeared to be much heavier than Mr. Stallwortliy, made a loud interjection. "You have not accepted my challenge to the ring yet," said the candidate; "therefore you are out of court." (Applause.) Another tense period occurred when another questioner, waving a paper, wanted to know how the candidate voted on the Finance Bill of 1931 in respect to wages cuts, and the reduction of pensions and charwomen's wages.

Mr. Stallwortliy was quickly on his feet flourishing a copy of "Hansard," which he averred was a true record of the proceedings of Parliament. No such bill had been through Parliament during his membership. . An Act had been passed in 1931 providing for a "cut" in Civil servants' salaries. The Prime Minister had explained that the difficulties of finance made it imperative to either reduce the salaries of State employees or dispens ewith the services of many of them, who would never be reinstated, and lie had voted for the measure. Prior to that, however, he had urged the Prime Minister to make an appeal to the electorate. Since t»en he had voted for restoration of wages "cuts," but liis Labour opponents had had nothing to 6ay about that.

Mr. Stallwortliy made reference to both the other candidates for the mayoral chair, and asserted that Mr. Davis' meetings were for supporters, and were not public meetings in the accepted sense. When Mr. Davis had alluded to "hot air" he should have used the term "froth." (Laughter.) As far as the Labour candidate was concerned, he did not propose to reply to his remarks, as lie had "not the ghost of a chance" of election.

The Rev. W. W. Averill was in the chair.