MOB LAW.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LX, Issue 9344, 15 April 1909, Page 5

MOB LAW.

RIOTOUS MEETING IN THE

CATHEDRAL CITY

THE DREADNOUGHT QUESTION

ALL SPEAKERS DENIED A

HEARING

MOST DISCREDITABLE PRO

CEE DINGS

[By Teleuraoh — l J ress Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. A meetiug was held in the King Edward Barracks to-u'ght, under the auspices of the Navy League, to consider-, motion endorsing the action of re the Dread uought, and apprwing of the offer made to the British Government. There were quite four thousand people present, aud from the start the meeting was most disorderly, aud broke up in confusion. None of the speakers were given a hearing, and eveu Bishops Julius aud Grimes, on risiug to speak, were received with groans and cheers mixed, •which continued and prevented them from beiug heard. Nobody in the crowd had the least idea what was going on, due to the awful uproar made by a noisy section standing just iv front of the platform, and a call for a show of hands in favour of the resolution had to be done by menus of a notification on the blackboard. The motiou was declared carried, amid a scene of indescribable coufusiou, aud then followed a perfect pandemonium.

Mr T. E Taylor, M.P., iv whom the disturbing factor recoguised a leader, endeavoured to speak, but could not be heard owing to the din, and his violent gesticulations were not understood. A Union Jack at one corner of the platform was pulled down by some fanatic, aud before it could be rescued was torn to shreds and trampled uuder foot. 'ffTOntually a great struggle, in whiclsftfeudreds of men joined, took plaeeJßjd the flag was rescued and taken on to the platform, aud hoisted aloft by the Hon. Lieut.-Colonel Smith, amid frenzied cheers. Another great fight took place over the possession of the blackboard used for putting the motion ou. It was first of all snatched away from the table on the platform by Mr Taylor's adherents, and an attempt was made to carry it to where Mr Taylor was Standing, presumably with the object of putting a hostile amendment in the same way, but a patriotic crowd got to work, and the blackboard was towed about like a raft on the sea of heads, until it was carried to one end of the Barracks.

Even when it was announced that the proceedings had closed, thousands remained cheering and hooting, aud it was not until tne lights were extinguished that the Barracks could be cleared

A noisy open-air meeting was hold in Catl)___ral-sqnare afterwards. The «teoos and other prominent citizenfflPTthe meeting speak in terms of the greatest disgust at tho conduct of a certain sectiou of the crowd at the meeting.

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