WELLINGTON CENTRAL SEAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17429, 25 September 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON CENTRAL SEAT

■ —«. _ MR MACK'S CANDIDATURE. I A LIVELY MEETING.

(Peh United Press Association ) WELLINGTON, September 24. A section of the audience at the opening of tho meeting addressed by Mr Mack, tho. Independent Labour candidate for the Central scat, last night was extremely rowdy. Continuous interjections and other noises prevented the delivery of the speech. Mr Mack was kept answering questions till tho chairman declared the • mooting closed. Ho said that as the candidate had been refused a hearincr by a section of tho audience ho would not put any motion. During the singing of the National Anthem at tho beginning; of tho meeting hecklers sat on one side and marred the singing with a loud discordant Socialist song. Mr Mack explained that he was not a member of the Protestant Political Association nor of the Prohibition Party, and was not connected with Orange lodges. Tf any organisation decided to support him, that was its own business. He was responsible only for his own actions and words. Ho claimed the right to represent reasonable Labour as distinct from extremists. Though personally opposed to compensation in regard to the liquor trade, he favoured tho National Efficiency Board's recommendations as sound business. Answering a question about the receipt by him of a guinea a day as a member of the Military Service Board, he said he paid this money into the A.S.R.S. funds. Ho declined to bo bludgeoned into withdrawing from the contest. Ho would go to tho poll even if 99J per cent, of tho railway men requested him to stand down.