MEETING INTERRUPTED

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1930, Page 5

MEETING INTERRUPTED

BRUSH WITH THE MAYOR. While an unemployment conference was beincr held in the City Council Chambers at Christchurch on Monday a crowd of about 150. unemployed men, headed by Mr, A.,F. Marshall, walked into the public gallery. The Mayor, tiie Rev. J. K. Archer, immediately informed the visitors that the confeience was a private one. He then closed, the meeting. . ■ _ _ -ttt A member of the council, Mr. J.. W. Beanland, stated to the men that they were being misled by a few Communists from Wellington. After sundry motions had been put to the meeting in the nailery the men withdrew to the steps outside the council chambers, where Mr. Marshall was one of the chief speakers. Finally he and Mr. J. McKegney and a few others met the Mayor near the door of the town clerk s office. “If you defy my ruling I will not see you,” declared the Mayor. “If you come to me in the proper way I will see you, but not otherwise.” Mr. Marshall: These men are all potential Labour voters, who may help you at the next election. The Mayor: I do not care about that. Mr Marshall: You were elected by the rank and file, and you should wait upon them, instead of their having to wait on you. The Mavor disappeared into the town clerk’s office, and Mr. D. G. Sullivan, MP was the next person to be accosted, but not before four constables had arrived qn the scene. Mr. Maishall said to Mr. Sullivan: Are you prepared to do anything on behalf of the Labour Far tv ? Mr. Sullivan: The Labour Party is not in power. I will answer these men, but will answer no questions from you. Do you understand? Mr Sullivan promised to send a telegram to the Unemployment Commissioner, Mr. Malcolm Fraser, asking him what the board proposed to do for sin gle men.