MINISTER HECKLED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1938, Page 15

MINISTER HECKLED

MR. SEMPLE IN SOUTH

"FIRST UNFRIENDLY WORD"

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

Organised heckling by a party from Christchurch enlivened the meeting addressed by the Hon. R. Semple at Tai Tapu last night and culminated in one of the most persistent hecklers leaving the hall behind a constable. A small minority in the audience of 400 or more persistently heckled the Minister during the latter part of his two hours' address, but Mr. Semple was more than equal to their attempts to embarrass him. After the interjector had followed the constable out of the hall, about 20 persons rose and left Mr. Semple criticised Mr. Coates for aggravating distress in New Zealand during the depression, and asked if the audience could find any redeeming feature in his policy. "Tell us about some of the good he did," said an interjector. "You don't bluff me." Mr. Semple: You can't come to my^ meeting and make a scene and get off* scot free. A section of the audience then shouted that the Minister ought to apologise to the interjector. A bigger section said that the interjector should apologise to the Minister. Uproar existed for a minute or two. The Minister was asked what was the Labour Government's intention towards the country quota. Mr. Semple: Labour is not worrying about the country quota. The original interjector rose and shouted something which was lost in the din of shouting, boos, and applause. A constable, who had been standing at the back of the hall, advanced down the aisle and waved a warning hand at the interjector, who promptly rose. When he reached the aisle he turned to the Minister, raised his hand in a Fascist salute, and followed the constable out of the hall. Loud applause greeted his departure. The Minister said that so far he had addressed 67 meetings in various parts of New Zealand, but had never until that night had an unfriendly word said against him. "They can't come to my meetings and make a scene without getting it in the neck," he added.