ON THE HUSTINGS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 68, 13 December 1919, Page 8

ON THE HUSTINGS

WELLINGTON CENTRAL ANOTHER STORMY MEETING MR. PIRANI IN THE TOWN HALL The supporters uf the Labour extremists were agaiu responsible lor persistent disorder at ;i public meeting last night, when Mr. F. Pi rani, Liberal candidate fur Wellington Central, addressed a public meeting. Mr; I l '. W.' Ilaybittle presided, <md the hall was tilled in all parts.

The chairman said he was not a supporter of tho party that Mr. I'irnni represented, but he sympathised with the candidate as a brave lighter who had not been given a fair <lcui. and who was loyal to his King and Empire. Ho hoped ihat the candidate would \x given a decent hearing. Jt was not seemly that a chairman should have to appeal for a fair hearing tor a political candidate. I'ree speech was an inherent right, po»esw l d by a, political candidate. Mr. Pi rani, who was received with prolonged npplaiiie, said ho , had held during this election live of the rowdiest -meetings ever held in Wellington, and his voice had suffered to fronie extent through attempting to make himself heard. (Interruption.) His party was the State, and always had bean. But he was proud to have us liis political leader a man who hml slid that he would not hold office by tlie of .inv extremist section in Parliament. (Interruption.) Tht-re was one tiling in New Zealand that was aln«vo all parly

A voice: The-tost of living. (Laughter.)

Mr. I'irani: "The rights of the people." The candidate proceeded to speak of tho task-- of reconstruction, under a fire •of interruptions from a ae.';tion of.. Ilio audience.

The chairman appealed for order, and a. mention of iiis Hed Cross work m France was greeted with jeers by the representatives of the extremists in the 'audiencs.

Alv. i'irani referred to the •'go-slaw" policy as n factor in raising the cost »f living, and the interruptions continued. The greatest enemy of the worb-rs, said the ciiml'date, was the small section < p.vti'pnic Lnbnur, wli'oh dplib-?r;iMy reduced production and so raised prices.. A nerfiftpnt interrupter was -ejected 'by tho police, amid applause from ;; large part of the meeting. A serin? of "couTif-ouis" came a few minutes later: Another man was ejected, and several others were warned. The chairman mridf another nniu'al for fa'r play for the can dklnte. aii'd was himself interriinted.

ilr. Pinnii spoke of odiiohtiaii.il w.ilt-n on the lines <;f earlier sp;>i>ches, and -aid that sncicl conditions could not b? iniprovi'd V-v the methods of Unblw'sm. He hail tonsented to Miin<l hmi-.i'-:? he thought it would lie a curse to the rapital city to \w repivented liy a .iwi , like Knsr-'r. (Infcrriiptwn.)

A '■twin if iiiterniptioii aros? when Mr. Pirnni warned the electors that tho e-vlrtmisls wen , plaiiniiiEf to produce u peat "gd-sv;w" siriko. in Jiiniiar.y !,psi. The eaud'datp continued to outline his lidicy. ;"i,l jpcrured a betfef lifarii"! tcwavils the clofp of his speech. He adviiuited improved l'flr'.iaraent.iry meH\ml- an.:! Ilio adotiMo" of the wiliUlwrinj! sy.'t?!!] , in industry. i

Ansirprinj? -oiicwtiqiis,■ Mr. Pirani approvnl of L-n-opprative- tvndinff. Ho had ii. , ' rrlafions at nil with the Pniin I .'' lVliticiil A>'s?cintion. He thoimht there should ho a retiring age for Judges. He had lircn on terms of frinmlship v ?tii-. Seddo" to the day of that statesman's death

A vote -of thanks wns put Vo tho met'ti".K, ivml carried amid loud fiin 1 -"-- Thf mpctin , ' ck'sed with the Nationut AiitliPin. followed by cheers for Mr. Pi iwiui aw) coiiJiieiH'lieei's for .Mr. Vnib