The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING “LUCEO NON URO” SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1938. Rowdyism at Political Meetings

Southland Times, Issue 23444, 26 February 1938, Page 6

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING “LUCEO NON URO” SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1938. Rowdyism at Political Meetings

The continuous interruption to which Mr S. G. Holland was subjected during a political meeting in Dunedin on Thursdaynight was another instance .of the mass hooliganism which threatens to become a discreditable feature of the approaching election campaign. Mr J. Hargest was given the same treatment in Dunedin a fortnight ago, and speakers at meetings conducted for the National Party in Christchurch have also been denied a fair hearing. These tactics have been adopted by supporters of the Labour Party, including, probably, many of those persons who unjustly accuse the newspapers of suppressing, or distorting the Labour viewpoint. It should scarcely be necessary to point out that in using such methods they are attacking the fundamental right to free speech, and demonstrating to more reasonable citizens an attitude of intolerance and blind resistance to all ideas not completely in harmony with their own. This is by no means the attitude of the intelligent supporter of Labour theories, but it is sufficiently widespread to leave doubts in many minds as to what degree of freedom would be granted to the people if their political leaders gave legislative form to the prejudice and bitter partisanship of this vociferous and unthinking element in the electorates. There are men who go to a meeting with no intention of hearing a word of explanation’or theory from a candidate, and do their best to prevent other people from hearing also. Most of them are impervious to reason; it is idle to attempt to dislodge the fixed ideas which dominate such minds. But there should be some kind of party discipline for dealing with these persons; it would be in the best interests of the Labour Party for its leaders to suggest to them that they are harming their own cause by creating an atmosphere of class discord that should have no place in New Zealand. Protests can be made at question Time; and even if they are made in the spirit of fixed disapproval there is no reason why they should not be made intelligibly. These meetings are attended by many persons who really want to hear what is said by the candidates, and by those who disagree with them. It is only fair that they should be allowed to hear and to judge for themselves. Failing that, there is more thah a slight chance that they will take a lead from the interrupters, and accept the political implications of rowdiness, deciding that a party whose supporters are afraid of debate should receive no votes from those who care for order and decency. The Labour leaders are sufficiently intelligent to see that rowdiness at political meetings is bad tactics. If they are wise they will do what they can to explain to their followers that New Zealand is not a country where elections can be won by a mere excess of noise and bad manners.