LABOURITES WRANGLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 23 June 1926, Page 10

LABOURITES WRANGLE.

WAS THERE BEER? By Telegraph—Press Association INVERCARGILL, June 21. A meeting of small shopkeepers to night called to discuss closing hours, was considerably enlivened by a very heated dialogue between two Labour workers, Ulr G. S. Thomson (Dunedin) and Mr W. J. Thomas. The incident occurred during an address by Mr Thomson. “Vour'e doing nothing but slandering people,” interjected Mr Thomas. "Why don’t you get on with the suoject?” Mr Thomson (dramatically exhibit •ing a red badge); “I am a member ot the Labour Party, ami went to Lyttelton goal fighting Massey. If Mi l Thonuts can say he has done that then he can call me a traitor and say I am insincere.” Mr Thomas: “I fortunately can’t say that.” ‘‘More than that,” Mr Thomson continued, “I neither smoke, drink nor gamble, though I am in tlio midst of it all the time.” He added that it was a disgrace that beer should be consumed at Labour meetings. They must clean up the stab e.” Mr Thomas: ‘‘You’ll get into serious trouble if you go on making wild, irrational statements like that.” Mr Thomson was about io make a further remark when Mr Thomas said : “You’re mad ” Mr Thomson : ‘‘l saw beer at a Labour meeting last night.”

| Mr Thomas (angrily): “You’re a liar. I You’re merely a bird of passage from Dunerhn. People here know nothing about you.” The chairman ruled Mr. Thomas out of order. , | Mr Thomson. “Very well, I will let it rest at that. Unfortunately wo ' nave been supplying good copy lor the | newspapers.” I Later in the evening he assured Mr Thomas they would part the best ot friends. l '