PANDEMONIUM.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13348, 4 April 1914, Page 4

PANDEMONIUM.

(Special to Herald.) this day. The promise that the Hon. 'Mr Fisher ■ member for Wellington Central, w3 address ■ Ji» constituents m the Town Hall last night resulted iii a eouole of hours.of pandemonium. Three thousand people crowded into the hall, ■-fiHW it before half an hour of the tiW of the address starting. Ey er y individual m this tremendous audience had to file through a ?ide door and the back of the stage. Those m the know came an hour early to that, side door. An organist was present to beguile the waiting hour, ytr Fisher's 1 Committee, the Keform organiser, and four policemen watched the side door, but they appeared to stop nobody, though they certainly by this method could have controlled tlie nature of the audience.- Probably the gathering- was unique for a political J \. m ff t " a S ln * "all the front 'doors 'of' which were never for a moment- opened till' the audience started to go forcibly and otherwise. Incidentally, the r extraordinary methods of the promoters of the meeting resulted m a "good many f > people gettmg thoroughly wet, as they " were obliged to wait their turn outside the narrow side entrance, while soaking rain came down. LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND \ - • OTHERS. The Minister's appearance was the signal for wild cheering from his supporters, and a steady jumble of boohing, which indicated that it was hot, All friends who had got through the side door. Mr Fisher's chairman having been counted out, and subjected to a "■ running fire of interjection, which, completely spoiled his effort, the* Minister foi\«Mf_rine'- smilingly ft'eed" thfe crowd. He listened, to a counting out, but, stood up to it; and started, '•Ladies, gentlemen and others." Tremendous hooting followed thi^, and 'Mr Fisher began to pay individual attenti9n toanterrimters. . He threatened one noisy youth, and then ' stooped wer tlie edge- of the-' platform to /receive from one of the audience, not a bouquet, but a baton. ■J'-T'his emblem came; it appeared, from. a friend, and the Minister's supporters showed the most demonstrative approval. ■= A- hot fusillade of derisive ycllß, catcalls, and . hoots instantly followed. . *"' 'POLICE BUSY. ■ A consultation with the chairman, and a policeman got his orders from the platform to get busy. His activities were resented, and a succession of ejections roused the hostile section of the meeting to a frenzy. Curiously, enough there was a calm while the consultations' between tlie chairman, speaker, and police went on, but the moment Mr Fisher starred, hooting- also began. The chairman seized a quiet interval to shout, "Let me warn some of our friends that they will be prosecuted under the Police Offences Act." The Minister conveyed the same warn, ing more bluntly. He declared the Government was determined to preserve the right of free speech, and that the people causing a disturbance were putting him into Parliament. He had been called inconsistent, but what of the journal which continually wrote down the Reform party? The writer of its articles was irritated by consumption of the goods ,which his employers were selling. His pen wae steeped m beer,

against the. land monopoly came from the brewing monopoly. This was as far as the Minister could get. Tlie efforts of interrupters -uid the attempt to drown hoots with cheers made a. hideous din. Constables' were continuously engaged ejecting people, from all parts of the hall. - Fresh - supplies of police wore introduced, and when this was noticed, the frequent counts-out- took on an u^-ly tone. An organist took his place, awaiting tlie chairman's nod to ,^et hini to play. "We won't go home till morning." yelled one of the red-tie brigade. "That is those who have homes to go to," was Mr Fisher's reach- retort. DISCORD! AND HARMONY. Over half an hour of discord, and the organist introduced a few harmonics. During the many ejections the hall front door had been incautiously opened. In rushed- several -hundred men, obviously hostile to Mr Fisher, for they crowded around the galleries, and made the lively scene deafening. A sudden silence followed the- loud, organ chords. "That's your • dead march, Fisher.!" yelled a hoarse voice. Twenty- minutes of police activity followed, amid a. babel, and no attempt at speech was made by the Ministei*. At last he shouted, "Just to chfje*' us up; three cheers for the Premier." Babel followed, and then comparative silence. "Three cheers for me!" shouted the Minister. During the din which this provoked a. chorus,, .took definite shape. It was "We'll hang Dan Fisher oil a sour apple tree." The organist ran a- deafening counterattraction, and- was, hissed. Sto far Mr Fisher, had said nothing from notes, and it was 9 o'clock. 'He walked to the press table to inform the busy workers ; that the Seamen's Union secretary was a prominent , .obstructionist. A good- deal of the disorder worked itself out by 9.45, when the Minister tackled his^notes, pausing while .he. was .occasionally, .cheered or counted out. . He announced . that at a future meeting he would deal with the Government's policy, and tliat the Hon. A. L. Herdman would also - address a public meeting.... Impatient cries of "Questions" drew from the Minister the declaration that the people -.yho had interrupted himwould sit .tight while he -.idjeahV.'-.-A'lth 'questions, but he- would not give th.em the satisfaction of answering. (Loud jeers, with counter cheers.) Mr iHsJier thanked the audience moekiingly for. giyin£hiin % what, he called the best retention lie ever had. Then his ■qommittee chairman came forward with ,a motion of tlianks and confidence, which was promptly,' covered witli. an /amendment." Tlie -huge audience, seen*,--- the hopelessness- of getting a vote on the subject, made. for the doors, cheering or hooting according , y t') their feelings towards - the Minister for. Marine.