THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1914. A REGRETTABLE INCIDENT.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13419, 17 March 1914, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1914. A REGRETTABLE INCIDENT.

The lack of space at our disposal in this morning's issue, and the late h«ur at which the meeting addressed by the Prime Minister at the Theatre Royal last night concluded make it impossible for us to refer at any length jat present to the topics Mi. Massey discussed. His speech differed in few particulars from the addresses he delivered during the earlier portion of the platform campaign upon which he is now engaged, We are pleased to see Mr.' Massey in Nelson in the office to which he has been called since he was la-st a^ong us, and to hear from him an exposition of the policy of the party of which he is the head, We shall take an early opportunity of discussing the subjects dealt with "by Mr. Massey last night. We cannot, however, refrain, from comment upon the regrettable incident which marked the close of the meeting, and to disclaim1 on behalf of the "people of Nelson any sympathy with what may be considered a gross discourtesy to a distinguished visitor to the city. We share %he regret no doubt felt by the vast majbrity of those present at the meeting, for the developments which the good taste and tact of all concerned should have prevented, but which as it was, caused the meeting to end in confusion and uproar. Mr. Atmore was probably within what he would consider his "rights" in moving an amendment to a motion of thanks to the Prime Minister and expressing confidence in his Government, and we do not dispute the ruling of the chairman that he was entitled to speak to his amendment. But we are not concerned with the technicalities which apparently obsessed the chairman, and which would be all very well at an ordinary political meeting. It was a meeting called" to hear an address by the Prime Minister, and apart from whatever may be due Ito the office Mr. Massey holds, Mr. Atmore was not present as an ordinary elector. He was present in his capacity of member for the district, and he occupied a* seat on the platform by the invitation—a courtesy to his own official position—of those responsible for the holding of ihe meeting. It seems to i.s, therefore, that in : endeavouring to take charge of the meeting and deliver a political address on his own account, Mr. Atmore forg6t what was due from him on such an occasion, and lamentably overstepped the bounds of good taste. Mr. Atmoro was amply entitled to explain away the idea created by an inaccurate report of one of his speeches in Hawke's Bay, to which the Prime Minister had alluded, but/ that was a matter which a very brief private colloquy with Mi. Massey would have sot right. If Mr. Atmore wished to reply to the address of the Prime Minister, his obvious course was^ to convene a meeting for the purpose. • His awn sense of the fitness of things and the standard of conduct his supporters are entitled to expect from him, should have restrained him from a proceeding which we are sure will be very widely deplored.