DISGRACEFUL SCENES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3169, 9 December 1914, Page 61

DISGRACEFUL SCENES.

EXCITEMENT AT PONSONBY. j GANG OF HOODLUMS BUSY. ! YOUNG LADY TRAMPLED ON. AUCKLAND, December 7. There were extraordinary happenings in connection with Mr Massey’s meeting at Ponsonby this evening. Recent events have made the violent partisanship of those interested fairly obvious, but during the evening the matter was placed beyond all possible doubt. Mr Massey loft the Grand Hotel in a car belonging to the hotel, and proceeded to Ponsonby via College Hill. When the car rounded a corner and neared the theatre a howling mob was encountered, stretching right across the street. The engine had stopped, and the car had almost come to a standstill, when one of the tyres was slit, apparently with a very sharp knife. The tube in the tyre was also cut, and both were ruined beyond repair. The value of a new tyre is £l6 and that of a tube £3. The hood of the car was damaged, and two of the ribs were broken. Someno seized the mud guard, but did no damage to it. While the meeting was proceeding the driver got the car repaired, and secured the services of two policemen to prevent further injuries. The meeting proceeded fairly placidly for about an hour and a-half. Just before 9.30 p.m. a gentleman walked on to the platform, and had a hurried consultation with Mr Massey, who turned to the audience and expressed his regret that all would have to leave the hall in about 10 minutes. Before the speaker c.uld complete his sentence a number of women rushed madly to the exit, and tiicrc were indications of a panic, the audience by this time observing that the room bad become very smoky. Mr Massey pacitied the crowd by explaining that tile loss of the lights was the worst that could happen, and that there was not the slightest cause for alarm. Thereupon a motion of confidence in him as Prime Minister was put aaid carried, and the audience commenced to disperse, which they did hurriedly owing to the increasing smokiness. A Herald reporter went to the engine room with the engineer. It was impossible to breathe in that room, and a hasty retreat was imperative by reason of the smoke. The lubricator connected with the crank of the engine had been taken away, and the requisite oil had not been supplied to the works. This led to squeaking, and then came the smoke. Mr H. Smith (foreman) had also detected the smoko, and he made an examination. It was agreed that the trouble could not have occurred accidentally, the opinion being that someone had deliberately taken the lubricator away. Mr North discovered an old one, and placed it in position eventually. Outside the hall there was a scene of wild excitement. Several thousand people, j obviously of the fedorationist element, ! crowded round the building, and the police—there were 22 of them, under Sergeant Rutledge—had all their work set in keeping them in order. The mounted police had to be called in to clear a passage for Mr Massey's car, and wiui he appeared howls of execration were hurled at him, coupled with intense booing. The Prime Minister was not perturbed in the slightest degree, and took off his hat and smiled cheerily at his opponents. The mounted men again cleared a way for his exit. Being in an angry mood the crowd . looked round for now victims. Mr J. H. Bradncy (the Government candidate for Auckland West), in whoso electorate the ' Prime Minister had spoken, seemed to bo chosen by mutual consent to fill the bill, and the crowd made a rush for him. Some-

body threw a stone. The police effected a capture, but the man was eventually released as there was doubt as to the identity of the offender. Mr Bradney came out of the hall with his wife and his eider daughter on his arm, and he essayed to cross the street. There were cheers for Mr Bradney from his supporters, and a great volume of booing from opponents. The crowd gradually closed in on the candidate. lie got away without injury, but just ns he reached the opposite corner he heard it said that a young lady had fainted. lie returned to investigate, only to discover that it was his own younger daughter (Miss Beatrice Bradney). The crowd again threatened Mr Bradney, and were clearly in an extremely ugly mood, lie only escaped injury by waving his stick in a vigorous manner. Mr Arthur Rosser came up and apologised to him for the actions of the crowd. Every attention was given to Miss Bradney, but it was too late to prevent her from being trampled on after she had fainted. Dr Sharman offered his services, and the young lady, who is rather delicate at the best of times, was carefully conveyed to a room in the Ponsonby Club Hotel, where all that was possible was done to' restore her to consciousness. After she had rested her father ordered a motor car, and took her borne. On being interviewed later in the even.ing Mr Bradney said that his daughter 9 was in a low state. She had worn a wrist watch, and this was subsequently picked up on the pavement. It had come off when the crowd trampled on her, and had got broken. I should like to say,” declared Mr Bradney, “ that the occurrences wore most disgraceful to any constituency, and it shows plainly w hat a gang of hoodlums are trying to put the present Government out of office. At the same time it is part of an organised scheme to break up Government meetings and carry votes of no-oonfidoneo in order to make the people of the dominion believe that tire ‘.‘ groat Liberal Party,” of which Sir Joseph Ward is the loader, is in the ascendancy. I have far too much respect for my constituents to think for a moment that this class of people are electors of Auckland West. I have always boon proud of the fact that I have represented one of the most respectable constituencies in New Zealand. One man attempted to strike a constable, hut was not apprehended. Another, in Territorial uniform, was arrested on a charge of resisting the police in the execution of their duty. It is alleged that ho kicked one of the mounted constables’ horses.

Tho crowd did not break up for a long time, and discussed matters in knots.