POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 119, 12 July 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL.

MR MASSEY !N CHRISTCHURCH. A TREMENDOUS CROWD. UPROA R AN i) CON KUSIX)N. ADDRESS lill ’OSSIBLE. (Per Press Association.) Christchurch July 11. This evening mo choral riall in Gloucester struct, widen iias a seating capacity tor IoUU people, was cia.nuuea to tiie doors to near Mr V\ . 11.I 1 . Massey, Louder oi me opposition, ueli ver a political address. xue aisles and gallery, indeed every avadaUe loot oi space was occupied, while a mg crow a clamored for admission outsme. in spite ox desperate work by tnc police t.io crowd uecame unniaiiagoaulc, and the inhux could not be

stapped, jno crowd inside tiro ball alternately called tor cheers tor Mr Massey, ten - o. U. Ward and otiicis. it was quite evident that under tliese conditions the meeting could not be Held, as tiic crowd outside tne building were inaKmg a louu din. To

iiiaKe matters worse, a woman tainted m cue crush at me Madras street entrance, and tins so disturbed cue crowd mat lor so ne inmates ary one wno tried to f.peau could not iiiaKeiiimselt heard. At twenty minutes to eight Mr T. E. Taylor, M.i'., Mayer Oi Ghiistcluircli, stepped forward, and announced that unless the aisles were cleared the meeting could not be held, as the danger to the crowd was too groat. ■j las was greeted by mixed groans and caecre, and the uproar continued for throe or lour minutes. “it is still ten minutes beloro starting Lime,’ 5 said Mr Taylor. “If those people will kindly go out Mr Massey »ill address the rest/ ’ He added that he had consulted Mr Massey before making this announcement. There was a perfect storm of cheers and hoots wnea Mr Massey stepped forward to speak, and for some tiinc lie could not get a hearing. When the noise had subsided, he said that, failing ids being able to address the meeting that night, lie would return and meet the electors of Christchurch as soon as possible and let thorn hear iiim. He would not break ins promise to let them bear what the opposition platform was . (Cheers.) At this stage there was a terriffic noise from outside the hall, and no one could lie bear'd. There was loud cries of “Address us in Latimer .■Square!” But Mr Massey replied that Ids voice would not last half an hour in the open air.

Mr Taylor til.on made another appeal to mo people in the aisles to go out and let cue meeting proceed, and a fair number complied with tne request, but at tneir exit at the front Hours the crowd became worse at tne siue door, and threatened to stampede tlio seats. Some minutes of uproar elapsed, and at two hiinutes past eight Mr 'la-ylor rose and said: "As chairman or kins meeting 1 find it altogether too dangerous lur Mr Maescy to deliver his address, and I therexore declare tne meeting closed.” There was no movement on the part of the crowd, however, to leave, but Mr Massey, accompanied by Mr Taylor and members <;t the Canterbury Reform League, who had been able to struggle on to the platform, turned to go. There were cries of "(Jowards ■" and “Come outside!” Someone in the gallery, during a lull in the uproar, moved a vote oi confidence in Mr Massey, and this was heralded by loud cheers. Then some foolish person, presumably to induce the crowd to leave the buildmg, turned out one of the lamps ovoi the gallery, and this, threatened a panic until the police obtained quiet. At one stage the crowd directly in Lout of tiie platform were being induced by those behind to leave by way cf the stage, and a rush on the platform was threatened. As it was, many clambered over the palms and the reporters’ tables, and crushed through the stage doors at the back of the building. By 8.1-5 the Jinll had been emptied to no great extent, but the crowd inside had becomes^considerably quieter. Mr Massey again stepped forward, and said: “Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you for the compliment you have paid me.” (Cheers.) A voice: “'Where’s the chairman?”

Mr Massey; “I am not going to make a speech. 1 have only "two words to say. I want to thank you for the compliment you have paid me in coming here to-night. (Loud and continued applause.) I have come all the way from Auckland to address this meeting, when nights are valuable because we are now within a fortnight or three weeks of the commencement of the session.

A voice: What about the apology? Mr Massey: I intended to-night to roler to the Acting-Prime Minister’s speech, and also to refer to what has been known in Christchurch as the ‘‘Taylor Massey incident.” 1 intended also to put before yon the platform of tiio Opposition Party to which ! belong. (Loud applause.) lam sure once you heard it you would support it very heartily. ‘(Loud applause.) I intended also to show you the grave defects in the administration of the present Government, and to put forward considerations you have not heaid from a. Christchurch platform; hut ! cannot do it to-night.

Let me say this: 1 may not be able to do it in one night or two nights, but if I don’t do it in two nights 1 will do it in three, and I will tell you this: that before the election comes round, even if J have to leave rny own district, I will corn© to Christchurch and meet you here again from the platform. (Loud applo.tise.) A. voice from the - gallery: Why are you speaking now the Mayor’ has gone ?

Mr Massey: 1 have just been reminded that I indicated to the Mayor I had no intention of speaking. 1 have spoken longer than I expected, and i must now again thank yon for tin? hoartv reception you have accorded me. (Loud applause. ) Someone in the rear of the had started, “For lie’s a jolly good fellow,” ami this was taken up by 1 ho throng both inside and outside, and sung with fervour. The crowd then gradually filtered from the building. Mr Massey, accompanied hv Mr C. A. G. Handy, M.P. for Selwyn. left the hall, an I was followed by a large crowd. Mr Taylor several times cm-dv:-cd regret to Mr M issey at +r>« vav (lungs had turned out. Inn punted out that under the ciiemnshmres the : nlv thing If- he done was to close tf e inerting. Interviewed -after the, meeting had hra’rcn up, Mr T avlor said it v unld have been niuhlv dangerous to hold a m'-Unig 1h? crushed state of the halt an 1 e cry reasonal)lp->'>in'h..’ ! man win I ! agree with his acti n m n:;t allowing it to proceed “,«o far as I was aide fo .-ee ’ said Mr Macso.v later on in the evenimg “the crowd was not a hostile crowd. The im’irc‘ H sion T pot was that they lyo-i f'-Jomlly rather than otherwise, on! Ml rlws oi polities were represented at the meeting. I am quite

sure that ii’ ! had been able to go on v'thout rial- to the audience 1 would have bad a very friendly meeting and a good nearing. As it ;s, I d(>ubt now whether 1 shall bo able to como back until Parliament racers, bv.t 1 will conic over then and raanni a week-end ia Christchurch, adaicssing a meeting here, and, it ry ar other alter that.”

A CHALLENGE

The Mayor o' Ciiristcliurc.il, Mr T. P T ayiur, M.P., wlieu invited by tire Canterbury Political Reform League to take too cliair on the occasion el Mr \V. F. Massey’s meeting in Christchurch sent tiro following reply “1 shall ha ve pleasure in presiding at tire meeting to be addressed by Mr V.'. F. Massey. On November -'9, 1910, wiion speaking in the House of Representatives, Mr Massey used the following words (see page 1170 Hansard of November 29, 1910): — “1 was behind the scenes in connection with that lamous lawsuit, tire fcJecldon-Taylor case, that took place in ChrisLchurch, and 1 thank iicavcu 1 nacl nothing to do with it. H it over falls to my lot to he in a position to do so X could toll a strange story in connection with it, but 1 cannot tell it at present. J; 1 can get leave to use the • nil-luna-tion 1 possess, then I will use it ou the piatform in Christchurch, and then there will be an end to tie honourable gentolman politically. /’I expect Mr Massey will avail himself of this opportunity of proving the allegation quoted above, and failing his anility to do so that be will tender myself and the constituency 1 have the honour to represent -i the Parliament a trank and generous apology for tiie slander ho uttered under shelter or ids parliamentary pirriieges.—lours faithfully, T. J<„ ‘JayiOl.” M U TA i LOIRS AT LIT U OF. Mr Taylor was asked by a '‘Lyttelton Times” reporter if he would amplify ids letter with a statement of the position. “It is my intention,” he replied, “to insist upon Mr Massey having a perfectly fair hearing, and 1 have no doubt that the city v.ill accord that to him in his capacity as loader of the Opposition. its reputation for fairness to visitors will not be impaired on Tuesday night, 1 feel sure. 1 have given him an opportumtey of making amends, so that the -sense of resentment entertained towards him by many of my friends in Christchurch may not by any means had expression at that meeting v,'rcli ne proposes to address. ‘‘Mr Massey will doubtless spend a great deal of bis time in addressing the Christchurch people in protesting that he and his party are men M courage and honesty, < who desire rl.e strictest principles of equity and loir play to be observed in conuertimi with the public life of this country. He undoubtedly slandered me under the protection of parliamentary privileges last session. He may la ve based his allegation upon statements made to him by other people; H at 1 know nothing about. 1 simply In w that ho utter id a gross untruth when lie said that I had been guilty of any dishonourable conduct in conn.-ntum with the Seddon-Taylor lawsuit. 1 iiavo written to him since last session asking for proof of his statements or a complete retraction. He was not courteous enough to acknowledge my letter or courageous enough to undo the wrong he did. I hope that his decision to speak in Chris church is a preliminary to his putting himself right with all men who believe that ordinary standards of fair play should rule even in the political arena .”