WELLINGTOS NORTH.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14651, 4 March 1918, Page 3

WELLINGTOS NORTH.

AFTER THE BATTLE.

KR. MASSEY REFUSED A HE4RiiNG.

The scene which occurred in Willis street, opposite the "Evening Post" ofhce, alter tlie battle for the VA?ellincvton North seat was over, was nnDaralleled in the political iistory of i\ew Zealand—at any rate so far as a by-lection is concerned (says the "New Zealand Times"). There was a congregation of about 10,000 people extending down Mercer street and along Willis street as far as the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel corner. When Mr. Luke appeared the uproar was tremendous. The crowd simply refused to hear him. Not a, word was heard by tie multitude. He- simply spoke on the balcony of the printing office to the reporters. Mr. Holland, on the other hand, received quite an attentive hearing. When Mr. Massey, the Prime Minister, appeared on the scene it was tte signal for the utmost uproar. He was counted out over and over again, and assailed with missiles varying from crumbs of bread to oranges, lemons and eggs. The last mentioned were fairly newlylaid, and one particularly well-directed juat missed Mr. Massey, but landed on the chest of a bystander. The Prime Minister, however, got the fi.U benefit of a banana, skin riglrE on the foretead. He turned to 'the reporters surrounding him and remarked, "They take their licking badly." After gesticulating to the crowd for half an hour and greeting them with quite a smiling eountenjance, lie retired and delivered a short address to the press representatives for due deliverance to tie public, the easiest method of publication in these hazardous days. The multitude hung round for some time and afterwards gave a hearing to Mr. Poison.