THEATRE BARRICADED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18272, 13 December 1922, Page 10

THEATRE BARRICADED.

PREMIER IN CHRISTCHURCH. OFFICIAL'S WARM COMMENT. £bx TEtEQRJLPH.-HPBESS association.] CHRISTOHURCH. Tuesday. A very frank expression of opinion relating to the barricading and the prec&utions taken by the police and the City Council inspectors for Mr. Maseey's meeting in the Theatre Royd recently was contained in a report by Superintendent Warner to the Christchurch Fire Board to-night. Superintendent Warner said : " I regret to report on the manner in which the exits at the Theatre Royal were barricaded at the recent meeting of the Prime Minister held in Christchurch. Such a procedure, in ray opinion, is entirely Unwarranted among any civilised community and. apart from being in direct contravention of the city by-laws, it only tends to arouse the anger of those unable to gain admission. " To invite tho Prime Minister or any other gentleman to address an audience, and bundle them into any building barred and bolted up like rats in a trap is not at all edifying for the position of those gentlemen, and I have yet to learn thatany citizen of this city would- molest or injure tho Prime Minister of the Dominion.

" The suggestion is most absurd, and the authorities responsible for adopting such methods acted most unwisely. Such methods, if continued, will end in disaster."

In a discussion that followed objection was taken to the wording of Superintendent Warner's report. Eventually, sitting in committee, the first sentence of tho report was adopted with the addition that " such procedure is in direct contravention of the city by-laws." The remainder of the report was deleted.