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Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1691, 18 May 1866, Page 2

A veet large majority of those who were present at the> Town Hall last night muet have left the meeting with feelings of surprise and disgust—surprise that a small minority of disorderly persons should have been able to create a riot, and disgust that the majority should have been so powerless to enforce order. No doubt it was a mistake on the part of Mr. Lance's advisers to suppose that any large gathering of people would patiently listen, in the present excited state of public feeling, to a discourse of two hours duration on a subject entirely devoid of novelty. Under the most favourable circutn&tances it would be unreasonab'e to expect any mixed assembly of men tamely to submit to the infliction of a feeble attempt at analysing a bundle of dry bones. But when people are wrought up to a high pitch of electioneering excitement it is a decided mistake.. Still, for the credit of Canterbury, it must be said that the tone of the meeting, as a whole, was decidedly orderly. An immense majority of the audience .were disposed to give Mr. Lance a fair hearing, and both the rival candidates interfered more than once to enforce order. It would be hardly necessary to vindicate the supporters of either of the rival candidates irom the charge of " rowdyism," were it within the range of possibility to expect fair treatment from the organs of Mr. Lance's party. Unfortunately, experience has shown that there is no reason to suppose that such will be the case. It is therefore a neoessary duty for us to record that the principal cause of disturbance was the over-zeal of a member of Mr. Lance's committee, and of others of his supporters who were brought down from Kaiapoi to Ohristchurch, to swell the number of adherents.

It is quite unnecessary to enter into the details of the noisy conflict which terminated the first act of the meeting. Some of those who took a prominent part in the proceedings are doubtless sufficiently ashamed of the false position in which a momentary excitement has placed them. But, on behalf of the meeting, it is proper to state

that theOarge majority of those prosent remaiued seated for some time after the disturbance, io expectation that the business of the evening would be resumed under more favourable auspices.

Altogther it was n sorry exhibition, and should afford proof, if such is needed, that tlie most clever " manage* ment" sometimes defeats its own object.