The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, MARCH 23. 1914. MR MASSEYS NELSON MEETING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20038, 23 March 1914, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, MARCH 23. 1914. MR MASSEYS NELSON MEETING.

Our local contemporary would have been well advised had it taken, the small amount of trouble necessary to acquaint itself with the facts before attempting to make political capital out of Mr. Massey's Nelson meeting. The reports and editorial comments publish by the Nelson newspapers provide all the evidence that is needed to prove the utter falsity, of the " Herald's" version of what occurred. The reports show conclusively that Mr. Atmore, the Membor for Nelson, made an unmannerly attempt to capture the Prime Minister's meeting aiid that he failed miserably in his attempt. The disturbance which culminated in the meeting breaking up" in disorder was occasioned by Mr. Atmoi"e;s unbecoming conduct, and under the circumstances it is not surprising that his constituents refused to give him a hearing. Yet the "Herald" talks about "the set-back Mr. Massey received at Nelson," and commits itself to the astounding statement that "Mr. Atmore, enthusiastically encouraged by the audience, put himself right with his constituents and proceeded to show sound reasons why the people of Nelson should not express confidence in the Government." Mr. Atmore undoubtedly had cause to try to "put himself right," but the reports clearly show that he quite failed to do so. The audience simply refused to listen to him. In view of the "Herald's" barefaced attempt to distort the truth, it is interesting to read what the Nelson newspapers have to say about the incident. The "Colonist," which is the local Opposition journal, deals with the matter in the following outspoken terms: —

"We cannot

refrain from

comment upon the regrettable incident which marked the close of the meeting and to disclaim on behalf of the people of Nelson any sympathy with what may be considered a gross discourtesy to a distinguished visito-r to the city. . . . It was'a meeting called to hear an address by the Prime Minister, and apart from whatever may be due to the office Mr. Massey holds, Mr. Atmore was not

present as an ordinary elector, but he was present in his" capacity of member for the district and he occupied a seat on the platform by invitation—a courtesy to his own official position from those responsible for the holding of the meeting. It seems to us therefore that in endeavouring to take charge of the meeting and deliver a political address on his own account Mr. Atmore forgot, what was due to him on such an occasion and lamentably over-stepped the bounds of good taste. His own sense of the fitness of things and the standard of conduct his supporters are "entitled ti expect from him should have restrained him from a proceeding which we are sure will be very widely deplored."

The "Evening Mail" expressed its condemnation in even stronger terms, and, under the heading "A Disgrace to Nelson," it said:—

" TJ.e splendid reception accorded the Prime Minister at the Theatre Royal last evening was evidently too much for the member for Nelson to stand. As Mr. Massey carried hisuhuge audience with him making each point clear to the meanest intelligence, one could not help wondering what action the member for Jveison would take in endeavouring to regain the hold he had on the people at last election, but even who are inclined to think the hardest things of Mr. Atmore would hardly have dared to predict that he would have so lost his sense :oi W^taess of .things as to behave in the manner in which he did last evening. <>f course, perfectly within his Tights", in the technical sense, in moving an airiendment to the motion of costing ence, but. lie had no right to endeavour *° make a political speech in reply to the Prime Minister. The- meeting had been arranged for Mr. Massey, and not tor Mr. Atmore, and his attitude in making such a Fetter attack upon the Prime Minister is deplorable in the extreme. One has to look no further than the immediate result of his efforts— chaos, to see i&VfoTfy, apart altogether xrom the question of good taste. We thmk we are right in saying that no more discourteous action has ever been meted out to any visiting politician, leave alone a Prime Minister, than that by Mr. Atmore last evening. Nelsonlans are.entitled to something better than this deplorable exhibition of bad taste from their representative; but past experience has led people to expect this sort of thing from Mr. Atmore." Comment is unecessary. The evidence we have emoted is more than sufficient to convict the "Herald'; of an unsportsmanlike attempt to mislead its readers for the sake of scoring a poltioal point at the expense of the Reform Government..