“RIGHT TO LIVE!”

Grey River Argus, 7 December 1932, Page 5

“RIGHT TO LIVE!”

SCENE IN PARLIAMENT Man Attempts Address ON BEHALF OF UNEMPLOYED. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, December 6. A sensational incident occurred in tlx? House to-night, when a young man, reputed to be a prominent Communist, attempted to address the Hous? from the Public Gallery. lie resisted thx efforts of a n orderly ami a constable to restrain him. and he was finally dragged from th- 1 precincts and ejected into Lambton Quay, still protesting and ■ix'iiting vigorous!v. The ilou.se was quietly discussing the short title of the Aluniuipal ('orporaiioiis Bill at: 8.45 [».m., and Air l angsi uni 1 had just sat down, when ilie man jumped to his feet, and. with one ham] on tin- rail overlooking the i Chamber, and waving the other, in which he lmd Us hat, he vigorously sh rick (.J out : — “Mister Speaker, 1 want to say sf.m'ihitin on behalf of the unemployBy Ihi< time 31 r ( amjt'b'dl had risen Io addioss the House, and, without tal-.ing any notice of the- interruption, the Chairman of Committees, Mr Smith, imperturbably called on 31r Campbell to speak.

‘‘The Christmas adjournment is com ing, and I want to know what you are going to do for the unemployed?” yelled thc» man. “I am lighting hero for the rights of the people How can any man live on 13/6 a week?” By this time h? had been seized from behind by an orderly, but, with his hand firmly clenching the rail, ho refused to bo led out. “This is what happens to a man when ho wants the law.” he cried, struggling to retain his grip' on the rail.

The constable, who is always on duty in the Gallery, joined in the tussle, but the combined efforts of the orderly and the constable could not yet shift the man. ‘‘How can any man live on .13/6 a week?’’ he cried. “He’ll starve! He’ll starve!” Still endeavouring to throw both the constable and the orderly off, the man got his side against on? of the big maible pillars. The efforts of the two ; officers forced him to let go his grip on th? rail, and he clutched wildly af the pillar. A terrific heave by both of the officials got th - intruder on the move, but he was still resisting vigorously, and fighting every inch of the way. He was dragged up the gangway between th? seats. “How can any ma:: live on 35/- a week?” he cried. “We want the right to live!’’ Still being prop lied by the constable and the orderly, ho struggled all the way along the passage, shrieking; “Wp warq the right to live-! We want the right to live! We are starving!’’ Once at the top of the gallery, the weight of the two officials bega n to and ike man was dragged ou( : o'f the door, yelling: “You can put your fore? on us, but we want the right to live! We want the right to live!’’ All the way through th? passages he repeated his cries. He made strenuous endeavours to break away, but the officers still struggling with him, piloted him without delay through the main doors, and ouj of th? grounds on to l.ambton Quay. “Don’t twist my arm,’’ h e shrieked as the constabel put a “Come Along’’) grip on him. The incident lasted less than a minute, and it was over before most of the. Members realised where the commotion was occurring. 3lany of the 3lembers cannot see the public gallery from their scats’ in the House, and it was not until the members of the Labour Party, whose scats (face the gallery, were .gazing at the incident, that a realisation came to the Government Members. He was a. well-dressed and groomed man, and appeared to be about thirty years of age He is wc«ll known as having taken a prominent part in the organising of unemployed demonstrations. He is one of those w ho addressed the mob which assembled outside Parliament Buildings on the night of 3lay 10, when disgraceful scenes occurred, which resulted in something like two hundred shop windows being smashed. Three minutes after the incident, the machinery of Parliament was working once again, a nd a newcomer into the House would have been unaware of anything out o'f the ordinary having happened.