The Parasitical Agitator

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 71, 17 December 1919, Page 8

The Parasitical Agitator

"I claim to be a Labour man, mul I claim to be standing here to-night with one great am in view—that of releasing some of the working pccido hi this country from the disloyal bondage that, binds (hem to-day."—Thus Lieut. -(/jlonel Mitchell, speaking upon the malign influent* of the professional agitator. Wards of the State.

Tho necessity for making tho maimed and the helpless wards of the State was emphasised bv Mr. Fred Pirani, candidate for Wellington Central, yesterday .•iftrrnoon, who strongly deprecated the indifference of Coveninienls and the community towards those who ilhould he 'liu-ir lii'fil''care. In answer to questions, I Mr. Pirani said thai he considered Die Labour extremists disloyal, hut they were : only a minority of Labour, and the •great majority, who were really loyal, ; were deprived of proper representat ion in Parliament because of I'he attitude •of men who were comparatively recent ! arrivals here and faid neither respect ; nor consideration for these who did not 'agreo with (hem in everything. He :•( •■■in:;ly f;n'"ii ed special treat moot fo>' Ictorned soldics wh" wei-c not in a tm"a!,il condition t.o take in their iifc-ha-. , • dens, instead of sending them to '-'.c.'-tal hosoitnlt

THE MASTERTON CONTEST MEETINGS DISTURBED BY EX- : THE ME ELEMENT. \ By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. Masterton, December IG. Un till to-night the contest for Iho Maslerlou electorate had been free from disturbances by the extreme element. Mr. Alex. M'Leod, the Labour candidate, who delivered an open-air address at tho i>ost office at 7 p.m., concluded by apuealinc to his listcnoi's to give the other speakers the .same attentive hearing they had given him. Mr. G. R. Sykes commenced his address at 8 o'clock in tho Opera House to an aiulicneo of about a thousand people. At. the comnicAcement of the speech tho interioctions were comparatively few, and certainly in the main good-natured. However, when the candidate attempted a criticism of tho Labour Party—Mr. M'Leofl' had earlier in the evening similarly criticised his opponent—was a signal for the rowdies in the back of the hull to continence boo-hooiug, and, in general, using their best endeavours h nrovent tho .speaker being heard In the course of a review of the doings of the most prominent members of tho'New Zealand otceial Labour Party, Mr. Sykes referred to the complaint of Mr. P. Webb tlmt while in prison ho lay shivering in his cell for want of blankets. "While this_ same Mr. Webb was shivering in prison," continued Mr. Sykes, "our bovs- were shivering in the trouthf." A voice: Paddy Webb went to prison for hii conscience. Mr. Sykes: Yes, and our hoys went to ilie war for tneir conscience and risked their lives and limbs.. Cries of: Leave Paddy Webb alonegive us politics. Mr. Sykes: I'm giving you politics. This must hit tome of you pretty hard, 1 but I can't help that. Mr. Sykes contended that. Messrs. Walker and Paul had shown themselves dial.'.val -when tlie.v had wired to the Aus tinliau Labour Party to use all their power in opposing the carrying of conscription in Australia. "There is a man in this hall to-night," said the speaker, "who left with an early Australian reinlorceiieut and lias just' returned to New Zealand maimed through serving his country. lie couM come oa this pintJorm and tell you of the urgent need the Australian Division had for reinforcements.

Voices: Let him tell us, then. Further disturbances drowned most of the rest, uf the remarks, and it was not until Mr, Sykes left tho Labour Party iilono that ho received anything liko a fair hearing again. Mr. Matheson, who followed Mr. M'U'od at the Post OHice corner, was <;ver, more drastically dealt with, llu gavo up the task as hopeless after twenty minutes of. vain endeavour to get a hearing. ; Sir. A. 0. Holms, on tho contrary, rowed a good hearing.

Mr. Holms, the Democratic. Candida to for Mastcrton, followed Me.-srs. M'l.-cod (Labour) and Matheson (Independent. Ileform) in addressing .a large attendance last evening. He received,a very cordial reception, and irfivocated Ike niall'uim uphold by Colonel Mitchell and other Independent eamlicates. Cheers concluded the gathering.

Dunne a '.hunderstorni. Simpson, of I'laide Mansions. Stoke .Xeiviugtnn. was .<|ielteri! , j; under a fee in t insburv I'nrk when It.' vn* elrui-k !>y JHsinin>: i-mi fci'lwl. His wife <uu! a irien-l were '-villi him, but neither of them was injured.