COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 20, Issue 38, 18 May 1909, Page 5

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

A DISORDERLY MEETING. The New Zealand Times, reporting on the meeting called by Mr MeNab to discuss the question of compulsory training, states :-The right for compulsory training in the Town Hall last night was a drawn battle. The presence of a number of policemen well distributed throughout the hall evidenced the fact that unusual incidents were afoot. The public could not understand why policemen were necessary. They were not aware that a , leading Socialist had threatened earlier in the day to take a revolver to the meeting, and that the heads of the Police Department felt it incumbent upon them to take pre- , cautions for the public safety in the event of a stampede. Mr Hogg, the Socialist leader, from his place on the front benches scored an opening point by heatedly calling attention to the presence of the constables, and by i arousing resentment amongst a section of the audience created a diversion which led to the discomfiture of the movers of the main resolution. This gave a lead to ithe unruly section of the audience which they were quick to adopt. From that time forward chaos reigned. There were too many speakers for the good of the cause, and they tired an audience thirsting for excitement. Mr McNab and the Mayor were treated with scant courtesy. The climax came when Mr A. R. Atkinson became provocative and deliberately incensed his interrupters with the evident intention of holding the floor against the proposed movers of the militant amendment. Mr Hogg then took the stage, and the pantomimic by-play of the twain in the struggle for precedence, and the illadvised and clumsy interference of the friends of both parties, produced confusion worse confounded. The meeting eventually broke up in tuneful disorder.