A STORMY MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13983, 20 November 1919, Page 5

A STORMY MEETING.

Mr F. Pirani,' the Liberal candidate star the Wellington- Central seat, had a ■stormy meeting at St. Peter's School-

.ijfGtem, Wellington,\last night. The hall pmss crowded, and it was evident from Ihe start that supporters of the Labour

candidate were present in strong farce.

The appearance of Mr Pirani on the .platform was the signal for cheers for the Labour candidate from a section of the audience.

Mr Pirani: Ladies and gentlemen, I Tp®me before you to-night —— A voice: As a blackleg. (Laughter.) Mr Pirani: "I come before you as a ■ candidate in the Liberal interest, and I "iiope to justify my claim to represent. • you in the next Parliament." (Laughter.) He had fought other elections, r-jmS he could say,that he had always ■ heen able to shake, : hands with his opponent at the 1, end. A voice: What about Dick Seddon? .(Interruption.) >■■■<■' ' • ." Mr Pirani asked for fair play, and ■Txaa met "with cries itif "Soft soap!". The candidate:' There is no soft soap rsibout me. If you give me five minutes outside yon will find that soft soap is pretty haT&. i , i ', . Mr Pirani said he did not intend to .-dlseuss the past,action's of Ministers or parties. But he wanted to state what she considered should be the policy, for -the future. After the work that had Tbeen done during the last five years by *he Massey party he could not possibly ..agree to support tho present Govern•anent in office. He would say for what Jkghis opinion was worth ■ A voice: Not much.

tM Pirani: Perhaps so. More than •yours, but perhaps not much. (Inte-r----■-rnption). You have not got a lame soldier to deal with to-night, you know. A voice: What were you doing on the "Wanganui wharf? Another voice: Ratting. Mr Pirani: I did not know they had .3 wharf at Wanganui. Yon are thinking of Castleeliff. The candidate waited for some minates while a storm of shouts, laughter : and questions proceeded. An elector: He is going slow. I'Stick -.3 pin in him, Mr Chairman. Mr Pirani: That is not going slow.' "it is a stop. A voice: You can't expect anything Better from a Tory rat: Mr" Pirani: Thank you. You are a ■ gentleman. Voices: More than .you are. If you Wn't spet\k,. will you sing? (Laugh- -' VL" ■b "When sonievoircler had been restored, 3lr Pirani said he intended- to speak -regarding reconstruction. " New' Zealand -waa fortunate at present in having a

better condition of affairs than prevail■ed in any other part of the world. But '.lie wanted to show what he: thought -ought to be- done.

A voice: With rats,

Mr Pirani :"You look as though you 'lived on them. It would be a very good.

-aing for this country if we knew what *■to do with rats. ,. He had never voted -.against his - principles. If any person ■ .could prove that he had done so he •would retire fro mthe contest. That •was a fair challenge.