TWO LIVELY MEETINGS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 223, 3 December 1896, Page 5

TWO LIVELY MEETINGS.

Dunedin has had on Tuesday afternoon p ! and evening two of the liveliest meetings , held for many a day. The first was called by two members of the Women's Franchise League to consider tho action of the executive of the League in the selection of candidates for the city. The Rev. Mr Saunders presided, aud as soon as he had explained the . objects of the meeting Mr Hatton, husband 1 of the president, stepped on the platform and claimed a right to speak. The chairman , would not permit him and called on Mrs ', Don to speak, but the rival parties in the hall would allow neither to be heard and for half L an hour a scene of the wildest confusion . followed, women thumped on the floor with ' their parasols, stamped, screamed out at the top of their voices, gesticutated, and generally made things lively. As Mrs Don could not ' get a hearing, the chairman eventually dis- - solved the meeting and left the chair, but Mr Hatton induced Mrs Traiuor to take his place, aud moved a resolution expressing confidence in the action of the executive. Some had by this time left the hall, and when the motion was put no hands were held up against it. The second meeting was called by Mr D. Nichol, a candidate for the city. Hundreds were unable to gain admission. The audience took complete charge of the proceedings, tho candidate being allowed to speak for only a few minutes at intervals between the singing of choruses and stampedes from various parts of the hall in cousequenco of the introduction of wattle seeds. The candidate was freely pelted with flour, ripe eggs, over ripe oranges, and at one period a water hose was tamed across the stage. Tho gas was eventually lowered and the candidate was escoited to a tramcar by two constables, followed by an immense crowd, who cheered, hooted, etc.