OUR DREADNOUGHT.

Evening Star, Issue 14035, 16 April 1909, Page 7

OUR DREADNOUGHT.

TURBULENT SCENES AT CHRISTCHURCH. SPEAKERS REFUSED A HEARING. THE FLAG TORN TO PIECES. The telegraphed account of Wednesday's meeting at Christehurch gives no idea of the rowdiness of the proceedings. From the report appearing in the 'Press' we take the following: Never in the history of New Zealand has there been a parallel to the meeting which took place in the King Edward Barracks last night. People who have attended public gatherings for more years than they care to remember confess that the occasion furnished a new experience to them. The scene throughout was one which was absolutely unprecedented in New Zealand history, and one cannot but hope that it will never be repeated in this city or in this Dominion. It was hard to believe that it was a. British audience which so ignored the first principles of fair play, and howled down citizens of their own city—men of undoubted probity and singleness of purpose. The meeting was called by tlie Canterbury branch of the Navy League to give the citizens an opportunity of expressing their approval of the action of the Cabinet in offering one Dreadnought, and, if necessary, two!" to the British Government. It is "a matter of history that at a public meeting called by .Mr T. H. Taylor, M.P., a week ago a resolution was passed—not, however, without strong opposition condemning the Cabinet's action in unmeasured terms. It was felt in many quarters that the carrying of this resolution was a reflection on the patriotism of the people of Christehurch, and that itcould not be taken as representing the true feeling of the people. The Navy League therefore called another meeting, 'to get, it possible, an unbiased and representative expression of opinion. How far their object was achieved is a matter of opinion. Almost from first to last the meeting Was a ctiaotic one, and scenes were enacted which no one would, an hour previously, have deemed it possible could be performed in Christehurch. The Preliminaries.—

Among the earliest- arrivals when the gallery was opened was Mr Taylor, whose appearance excited ecstatic shrieks of approval from his own following and a hostile demonstration from his opponents. For a time pandemonium reigned. "We want Tommy," yelled a section of the audience. "We want a Dreadnought," was the reply, and demonstrations'" for andagainst- each proposition tumbled over one another. A. parody on that familiar air •"VWII hang John Brown on a sour apple tree' was yelled by a thousand voices, the Christian name of the member for Christchurch North being substituted for that of the famous John, it was apparent from the first that Mr Taylor had a very strong and extremely noisy following in the audience. These mischief-makers got in early, and massed in front of the speakers' gallery. They sent in a continuous stream of interruptions, and took every care to pievent any speaker giving an address. Their stream of epithets and interjections, veils and.screams, poured out in a disgraceful fashion. The audience numbered about 4,000. As the gentlemen who were to have given addresses put in an appearance singly they were subjected to a demonstrationcheers and groans, interspersed with patriotic songs by the Dreadnought supporters—and the Garrison Band on arrival played 'The Englishman,' a large portion of the audience taking up the lines: Tis a glorious charter, deny it who can— The home of a. freeborn Englishman. —The Meeting Opened.— The din was deafening when the chairman (Or Cooper) attempted to open the meeting, the Dreadnought supporters cheering frantically, and the Taylor faction groaning and hooting vigorously, and his troublesome position was heightened when some spirit from the hall handed up a megaphone to the chairman, which, however, he declined to use. A portion of the audience yelled "We want Tommy," but another section was equally determined that Mr Taylor should not be heard. The crowd surged backwards and forwards in front of the gallery, blows were exchanged, and angry recriminations floated up above the general uproar. Mr Cooper made another attempt to deliver a speech, but the movement ot his lips was the only guarantee that he was trying to address the meeting. .Major Hobday, president of the Christehurch branch of the Navv League, and promoter of the meeting, then took ihe platform, and despite cries of "Fair play " the noisy element got to work, and were discreditably successful in absolutely drowning the speaker's voice. The enemy had disposed their forces well, and had their chief agents—those of the leatherlunged variety—a few yards back from the speakers' gallery. Major Hobdav concluded by moving an approval of the Cabinet's offer to the British Government.

—The Two Bishops.— The rising of His Lordship Bishop Grimes was met by a reception which was a tribute to his popularity. Tremendous cheers were raised, hats were waved hi the air, and there was a scene of enthusiasm difficult to portray in cold print. The other side, however, was sufficiently powerful to form a strong under-current of opposition, and His. Lordship, between the friendly cheers of his friends and the groans of the opposing faction, had no chance of addressing the crowd. He dictated a few remarks to an enterprising reporter, but the audience were absolutely in the dark as to what he had said. His' Lordship resumed his seat, when the Garrison Band broke in with 'Soldiers of the Queen.' The wellknown chorus of the nation's war-song of a few years ago was taken up and sung with a rolling chorus that for the time triumphed over everything else. Three deafening cheers concluded the chorus, and then once more senseless uproar was master of the situation. Bishop Grimes made an attempt to continue his speech, but in despair had to abandon it. The rising of Bishop Julius was the signal for a demonstration which has probably never had a parallel in any gathering in this citv. Hats were tossed into the air, handkerchiefs waved, and roars of cheering were sent up. This demonstration proved, more than any other incident, where the sympathies of the majority were. His Lordship, however, fared no better than Bishop Grimes. The noisy element refused to allow him to speak, and he did not insist on his attempt. A blackboard was introduced by some friends, and was laid on the table in front of the speakers. His Lordship inscribed on it, in bold, printed characters: "Hands up in favor of the resolution!"

—Enter Mr T. E. Taylor.— The cheering for the resolution was still issuing from the mouths of hundreds when Mr laylor arose. He held up his right hand, grasping his cap, and was apparently inviting those opposed to the resolution to express their dissent. His friends cheered deliriously, and for some minutes there was another scene which was simply indescribable. Mr Taylor, having instigated this outburst, made an effort to calm it. in his own interests, so that he could give an address. In this attempt, however, he was frustrated, as the audience refused to hear any more of him than they had heard of the other speakers. Mr Taylor, baffled but smiling, resumed his seat amid mixed hoots and cheers. Someone it might have been tlie band, started ' God save the King,' and the anthem was given a full-throated chorus. A boom and a flash, and a flashlight photo had been taken of the crowd. Mr Taylor rose again tried to capture the crowd by some melodramatic posturing, and again sat down defeated.

—Fight for the Blackboard.— Raiders recognised as Taylorites at this stage seized the blackboard before their intentions could be fathomed. They were tackled with determination by a number of partisans on the other side, and an extraordinary scene ensued. The blackboard balanced in the air by about twenty pairs of hands, danced hither and thither like a will-o'-the-wisp. A man who carried a walking stick used it freely to tap the fingers of.the men who were clinging to the blackboard. The whole thing was ridiculous, but fascinating,, and those who could get a view of the affair were hugelv amused. After several free fights ap J —"<■

a lew bumps, the " Dreadnoughts " rushed it away, scattering as chaff before the wind the people standing in their way. The next incident was the commencement of a subsidiary meeting at the east end of the hall, but the person who started it got no hearing. Mr Taylor, dramatically waving a sheet of paper, tried to move an amendment, but had to give up the attempt. —The Flag Insulted.—

The most regrettable incident of the whole evening followed. A man who had been a prominent disturber during the evening, and was classed as a Socialist, made a rush at one of the flags which were decorating the speakers' gallery. He snapped the staff, and proceeded to lav the flag in the dust. The insult to the flag was instantaneously resented, and the crowd surged forward. In a moment there was a shrieking and panting mob of about 100. men tearing at the Empire's flag* some trying to defile it, others to rescue it. Captain M'Gee descended from the gallery, and assisted as far as he could to prevent the defilement of the flag. The outrage was, however, completed. The battered rags of the flag were displayed to the public gaze. Strong indignation was manifested, and the incident exercised some considerable influence on the future of the meeting. The insuit to the flag was the cause of a dramatic scene. The tattered pieces were floating about everywhere, and one piece came into the possession of Lieu-tenant-colonel G. J. Smith. With the relic in one hand and a flag in the other. Lieutenant-colonel Smith mounted the bench in front of the chairman, lie did not attempt to speak, but held up three fingers, and pointed to the flag. He then led off the cheering, and three tremendous cheers were given for the tattered Union Jack—a public reparation and apology for a thoughtless outrage. —The Closing Scenes.—

j Tho flag incident, having closed, the Garrison Band struck up once more, and | again the strains of - The red, white, and blue' and 'The Englishman' raised the roof. Just on nine o'clock—it seemed later—more demands arose for "Tommy," but they were not destined to be acceded to. Home of the lights were turned down, amid cheers and yells of laughter. The disturbances in the Barracks continued for about fifteen minutes after this, but thev were entirely objectless. It was half-past 'nine when the Barracks were empty, and the most extraordinary meeting ever held in Christehurch was over. Small bunches of men stopped on the footpaths to argue ihe points further, but their wranglings were profitless, and conducted under the eye of the police. The Dreadnought meeting will always be a memory to those who attended it. MR TAYLOR CALLED ON. [Per United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, April 16. After the uproarious meeting on Wednesday night nine or ten young men went to. Mr T. E. Taylor's house at Cashmere Hills. They called him out, and wanted to know what he had to say regarding the Dreadnought offer. The men only left after Mr Taylor had given one a smart cut across the face with a cane. The police had heard of the intended raid, and two constables came on the scene, but Mr Taylor let the rowdies off with apologies, and will not prosecute. Mr Taylor's house is high up on the Cashmere Hills, and the incident occurred at midnight. HOODLUMS AT PLAY. CHRISTCHURCH PUTS UP \ RECORD. [Special to the Star.] CHRISTCHURCH. April 16. Last night's 'Star' savs:—"The monster public meeting held in King Edward's Barracks for the purpose of submitting a resolution approving; of the Cabinet's offer of a Dreadnought to the Imperial Government precipitated a scene of uproar and confusion which is probably unparalleled in the history of the Dominion. The attendance "was variously estimated at from four to five tnousaiid, but from the moment the meeting started until it finally closed, a short hour afterwards, not one single word of the addresses which had been prepared was heard. A section of the crowd—some hundreds strong—had evidently eome to the meeting with the deliberate intention of obstructing it and preventing the motion from being put. Theri- was only one way to do this and they adopted that wax with signai success. They called, hooted, screamed whistled, and yelped like a pack of wild animals, and so effectually did they utilise the weapon of noise'that not a single speaker got even the vestige of a hearing The obstruction naturally precipitated a counter demonstration from the supporters of the motion, and the cheers of these people and the music of the. band helped to swell the pandemonium that raged. The spectacle was not an edifying one, nor was it one upon which we care to dwell. There was no sense of decency or fair play among those who had gone to the meeting with the intention of disturbing it, and the most reputable, citizens were refused a hearing. There can be no shadow of a doubt that the opposition j was well organised, and it was assisted I by a number of young and irresponsible men who had gone to the meeting for the sole purpose of making a noise. They cheered and hooted promiscuously, and it is safe to say that very few of them knew last night cither what thev were voting for, what the terms of the motion were, what was the nature of the amendment, or what they did. They will gather some idea from their morning papers to-day, but unfortunately they can never know how they looked. So far as the prominent citizens who were baited in this unseemly manner are concerned, they will probably treat the demonstration with the contempt it deserved, but the unfortunate nature of the incident is the fact that the cityhas been disgraced in the eves of the remainder of the Dominion 'in no uncertain way. We read of insults hurled at the clergy, at the defamation of the city by contumely heaped upon its public men, of tho country's flag being trodden into the ground' and torn to shreds by a howling mob of pseudoSocialists who have not even the grace to be ashamed of their deplorabkTconduct. Even Mr T. E. Taylor was moved to protest, but his supporters were worked up to such a pitch of frenzy that they would have none of him." '