MR MASSEY'S NELSON SPEECH.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14919, 18 March 1914, Page 10

MR MASSEY'S NELSON SPEECH.

MR ATMORE'S CONDUCT.

ADVERSE NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

(sr-ECTAi, to "raz press.")

NELSON, March 17,

Commenting on the disorderly scene at tho Prime Minister's meeting last night, the "Colonist" says:—"We cannot refrain from comment upon tho regrettable incident which marked the close of the meeting, and to disclaim on behalf of the people of Nelson any sympathy with what may be considered a gross discourtesy to a distinguished , visitor to the city. We share the r©-\ •grot no doubt felt by the vast majority

•of those present at tho meeting for 'the developments, which the good taste and tact of all concerned should have prevented. Mr Atmore was probably within what he would consider his . 'rights' in moving an amendment to a motion of thanks to the Prime Minister and expressing confidence m the Government. It was a meeting called to hear an address by the Prime Minister, and, apart from whatever may be duo to the office Mr Massey holds, Mr Atmore was not present as an ordinary elector; he was present in his capacity of member for the district, anil he occupied a seat on the platform by invitation. It seems to us, therefore, that, in endeavouring to take charge of the meeting and deliver a political address on his own account, Mr Atmore forgot what was due from him on such an occasion, and lamentably overstepped the bounds of good taste. Mr Atmore was amply entitled to explain away the idea created by an inaccurate repoit of one of his speeches in Hawke's Bay to which the Prime Minister had alluded, but that was a matter which a very brief private colloquy with Mr Massey would have set right. If Mr Atmore wished to reply to the Prime Minister, his obvious course was to convene a meeting for the purpose. His own sense of the fitness of things and the standard of conduct his supporters are entitled to expect from him should have restrained him from a proceeding which we are sure will bo very widely deplored."

The "Mail" says:—"The splendid reception accorded tho Prime Minister was evidently too much for the member ■ for Nelson to stand. As Mr Massey carried his huge audience with him, making each point clear to the meanest intelligence, one could not help wondering what action the member for Nelson would take in endeavouring to regain tho hold ho had on the people at last election. But even those who aro inclined to think the hardest things of Mr Atmore would hardly have dared to predict that he would have so lost his sense of the fitness of things as -< l o behave in the manner in which he did last evening. He was, of course, perfectly within'his rights, in the technical sense, in moving an amendment to the motion of confidence, but he had no right to endeavour to make a political speech in reply to the Prime Minister. The meeting had been arranged for Mr Massey, and not for Mr Atmore, and his attitude in making such a bitter attack upon the Prime Minister is deplorable in the extreme. We think w£> are right in saying that no more discourteous action has ever been meted out to any visiting politician, leave alone a Prime Minister, than that by Mr Atmore last evening. Nelsonians are entitled to something better than this deplorable exhibition of bad taste from its representative. But past es perience has led people to expect ths sort of thing from Mr Atmore."