THE DISTURBED MEETING IN LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3227, 19 January 1916, Page 54

THE DISTURBED MEETING IN LONDON.

A NEW ZEALAND SOLDIER'S ACCOUNT. Tho following is an extract from a letter from a New Zealand soldier, invalided in London, relative to the meeting called by tho Union of Democratic Control, which was broken up: " The other night a peace meeting was to be held in London, run by Ramsay MacDonald and some other ' rotters.' but the Anzacs, as we are jointly called, 'bust' it up and turned it into a recruiting meeting instead. About 9 o'clock on the morning some of the sergeants in the camp here noticed advertisements, and on the spur of tho moment decided to go to London. They sent up + wo men to reserve 20 seats. Later they c .ned at tho Times office and gave them five minutes to print some big posters: —'Victory Before Peace,' and these they pasted over the notice of the meeting. There were a good many civilians in tho hall, and the gallery was full of ' Tommies.' Someone called out just as tho meeting started, 'Come on, Anzac,' and the sergeants moved forward in a body joined by some Canadians. The women in the hall fled into a back room. The sergeants climbed up on to the platform, deaf to the protests of tho speakers, and one by one tho latter were quietly carried out and dropped in the street. This was dono to an accompaniment of cheers from the troops in the hall. A few chairs and a table collapsed in the process owing to the resistance of some of the speakers. Next, a strong rope was sent for, and with this the soldiers threatened to pull down one of the pillars supporting the roof until the lessee of tho hall promised not to let it for any such purpose again. Tho crowd sang ' God Save the King ' and ' Tipperary,' and marched to Trafalgar square, and held a recruiting meeting there, getting about 40 recruits.. All who were there thought it great sport. There was no hooliganism, but just a determined and strenuous stopping of the meeting. The papers all reported it, and gave our men a great hearing." SOUTH SCOTLAND FOOTBALLERS. A REMARKABLE ROLL OF HONOUR. Tho roll of honour of Galashiels Trinity Rugby Football Club, which has been supplied to tho Border Telegraph by a former secretary of the club, is one of the most remarkable the paper has seen. It shows that out of 73 players and members 72 have joined the colours, and that it is not the fault of the 73rd that he is not serving also, as ho has offered himself twice and has been rejected on both occasions. Where could a better record be obtained ? Of this number over 50 have been or are still on active service, four have been killed, - three are miesing, eight have been wounded, and three invalided. This club had not a very great record as far as winning matches was concerned, but in the matter of answering its country's call it has shown itself "all on," and has provided a most worthy example of patriotism.