THE LABOUR MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 9448, 24 June 1891, Page 6

THE LABOUR MEETING.

; A LISTENER’S IMPRESSIONS. I FROM A CORRESPONDENT.J . ' WELLINGTON, June 23. • The meeting in the Opera House last night to welcome Sir George Grey and the Liberal Party was an interesting spectacle. Tho ravages of time seemed to be erased. For an hour “the old man eloquent” etood : once more upright; his fine voice once more filled the hall, and his control of the large audience was as complete as it had ever been in hia beat days. Tho Mayor of Wellington opened the meeting in a temperate, judicious speech. Mr M’Lean presented the address ■ to a speech that was not very long, but quite long enough, and then THE PRETTIEST SCENE OF THE EVENING was presented. A passage suddenly opened through' the crowd on Sir George’s right, and Mrs Young rushed, blushing, through it up to what was Sir George’s side, but •which instantly became his front, as she presented to him a large and beautiful bouquet. For an instant she hesitated what to do or say. Bat not so Sir George. By one happy, assuring sentence he put her perfectly at ease, and, taking the bouquet and her band afc th© same instant, he sent her back still blushing but no longer uneasy or embarrassed. Sir George then spoke for over an hour, making the large audience laugh, cheer or listen just as he pleased.

MB D. P. FISHER then, came forward, and presented an address to the Liberal members, but, like Jane Taylor’s cab in the drawer, he seemed to make the mistake of supposing that the meeting had been designed to supply him with an audience. It took a consioeraole number of hints before he was convinced to the contrary, but finding that his wellmeant statistics were not enjoyed by anyone, he eventually sat down, naming Messrs W. P. Reaves, G. Hutchison and Pinkerton in connection with the address. THE MINISTER FOB EDUCATION first came to the front of the platform with that confident air which always maicates that he has gob his subject well in hand; so it proved. If, as some were inclined to think, his preparation had been rather too elaborate, he clearly noticed both foreseen and unforeseen passing events, and secured abundant applause, lie has never before carried the Christchurch colours higher than h© did iast night. MK qiSOBOK HUTCHISON followed With his pleasant, sonorous voice and elaborate eloquence. He was very well received. His sentences are exceedincrlv well finished, but his manner, though greatly improved of late, is still a, little stiff. He habitually speaks in that fastidiously perfect metropolitan English, witn its, softened r’a, which highly educated Scotchmen so often use. At first sight it seemed cruel that

A WOBKING 6HOEMAKBE. should have been called on to follow those young college-bred orators; but Mr Pinkerton suffered nothing by the contrast. He came to the front of the platform with the cool pleasant air of a man who was beat upon a great object, who had no pretence to maintain, and was not there to exhibit himself. His English is very fairly sound, and his arguments much more so. His gneech did more to vindicate the cause of ■Unionism than that of any other speaker had done. All the speeches were good and thoroughly well received, and entirely instilled the managers m their choice of Liberal representatives for the occasion.