ANGRY ELECTOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 223, 20 September 1938, Page 11

ANGRY ELECTOR.

PENSIONER INJURED.

WALKING STICK WAVED.

SENSATION AT MEETING.

A sensational incident which left an old-age pensioner with blood streaming from a cut on his nose and ended in the ejection of another member of the audience created a temporary uproar in the middle of a political meeting at Grey Lynn last night.

The meeting was that addressed by Mr. J. A. Lee. M.P., Under-Secretai y in charge of Housing, who opened his election campaign in the Library Hall.

Apparently angered at a suggestion that he was a supporter of the National party, a middle-aged man. who was the only interjector of note during Mr. Lee's address, arose suddenly from his seat ne;ir the front of the hall and brandished his walking stick towards a group of people standing near the wall.

The walking-stick came down forcibly on the nose of Mr. E. G. Wood, 7ti-years-old pensioner, who was one of the group! Women screamed, and as members of the audience restrained the interjector, there were cries of "Put him out!' .

The man walked towards the back of the hall, whore lie was met by two members of the police force, who had entered at the sound of the disturbance. They escorted him outside.

Meanwhile Mr. Wood was taken behind the st-3£e and the wound in his nose was treated. It was not serious, and he recovered after a short rest.

'■I don't think lie tried to strike me.' , Mr. Wood told a '"Star"' reporter. '"He just lashed out. and I happened to be in the way. I hadn't said anything to him."

Attention had first been drawn to the man some minutes before, when he interrupted Mr. Lee with a remark >ibout disabled soldiers' pensions. charpinp that these had been reduced by the Government.

After further interruptions, Mr. Lee told the man: "You've got to listen. You can't come here and just make a nuisance of yourself."

But this Jr. junction had little effect. The crowd tried to quieten the man, and ultimately the chairman. Mr. X. V. Douglas, iiiid to call the meeting to order. There was a brief lull, and the interjector took up his story again. Mr. Lee said: "We can't help* it if he has a point of view which ie contrary to fact." Another lull—but it was the one before the real storm. It broke when Mr. Lee happened to mention "Nationalists." ''We've got one here," said a new voice. That started it—and finished it, too.