MR MASSEY'S MEETING.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14993, 13 June 1914, Page 12

MR MASSEY'S MEETING.

XO THVB EDITOB OF <4 THE PRESS." Sir, — Ji'or a considerable tinio I had looked forward wi'-ii r>ieasurablo anticipation to the visit of -Air Aiassey to our city. When the announcement appeared in your columns that ariaugemonts had beeu irade tor the Premier to address my fellow-citizens, tho question arose as to what .kind of a reception ho would recciv3. With some doubt as %o what would happen, 1 wended my way to the rotunda, and, accenting an invitation to a seat on tho piatiorni, keenly ■watched the proceeding irom tne standpoint of an independent observer. it Tfiig an easy matter to discover that tho ever-increasing crowd was a hostile one, and their first action in insulting his Worsnir> the Mayor by successfully howling him down csiiowect what metal t they were made of. It puzzled mo then, and has puzzled mo ever since, to find one atom of excuse way Mr Holland should hay© received such scurvy treatment. This preliminary cauter prepared mc for what followed, which was to tho eternal discredit of Ghristclmrch, for it was soon evident that a well-organised force of obstruction would prevent the distinguished visitor from making himselt heard. Starting at a particular point, then shifting to other pointe, the proclaimers of free speech ranged, howled, and generally approached the stage of the wild beast, so that it set mc wondering, whether our national system of education had much to bo proud of if these men were to be regarded as its finished products. As one who daily comes into contact with numbers of men, I was fully aware that supporters of Sir Joseph Ward and the Social Democrats wore not disposed to view Mr Massey's visit with favour, but that they should go to tho length they did leaves them without a shadow of an excuse. My friend Mr D. G. Sullivan must surely havo winked the other eye, and our estimable citizen Mr C. H. Gilby must eurely havo been shortsighted that evening. But to come back to Mr Massey. Ho secured my admiration for the manly, courageous, goodtempered spirit ho showed in goiii£ on with his address in faco of tho tremendous odds against him. As an Englishman. I admire pluck and determination, and havo nothing but contempt for those who refuse to allow the other eide of tho case to bo heard, and no wonder that there are so many writing to the papers disclaiming any sympathy with the rowdies, but it is somewhat disappointing to meet with prominent oppjo- : nents of Mr Massey who try to justify ' tho action of the disturbers. One of 1 the results was certainly a hardening- ' up of the Masseyites in support of their ] leader, and hundreds of others who, like ! myself, vote on tho Liberal side, feel \ utterly ashamed at the vile treatment which was accorded to a political oppo- ' nent. —Yours, etc. a '' PItOTESTAJSTT. \ TO THE EUrrOB OF "THE PRESS." J Sir, —Referring to your recently-pub- ( lished disclaimers by the Liberal-cum-Social Democratic-cum-Laboui , leaders, , might I ask pertinently whose support- f ers did make the noiso-? I moved i about the whole time.among the crowds t and recognised many of the typo that t I had previously heard boo-hooing a i Minister of tho Crown at Wooiston I come few months, ago. On this occa- r sion they wore assisted by groups whose rv was "Wo want "Ward." Both part- h ies mentioned were bent on preventing t Mr Massey from having a and 1 had no interest in what he said. There were also three distinct groups of boys, s say from 14 to 18, probably defaulters c under the Defence Act, who, in defer- a ence to tho principles taught them by c the Anti-militarist Society, made as w much noiso as their ill-developed lungs would allow. "Were yon present, Sir, s ; at the announcement of the municipal election results? If hot, I can tell you * what took place;- -absolute silence, and j. not a cheer, whilst the crowd watched Holland's figures go up; but hooting f and cat-calling and interruption as soon as Holland began to speak, and *il- ? encc'pri'l order for "Bob" Spoirs, which caused Mr ..Tames Thorn to open with the remark that; Social Democrats conld cheer (?) better than they could rote, h The Liberal leaders nnd the Social Ihjmocrat leaders know who howled Mt q .Massey down, and tried to do him bod- y Tly injury afterwards, but decent-think- \i mg men like Messrs Howard and Gilby t< are ashamed to own their own follow- )„ ers.—Yours, etc, £j ■ — H ' X