THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11727, 30 November 1905, Page 7

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Tha PpemittP at Chriatchupch.

A lc*na of Wild Enthuaia&m.

(Special to Herald. — By Telegraph.)

CHRISTCHURCH, November 29.

The reception accorded to the Premier to-night must have been quite as enthusiastic and quite as enh^artening to the veteran statesman as his recent triumphal progress throughout the North Island. JLong before S2ven o'clock crowds began to assenib.e in front of the large Canterbury Hall, and when the doors weie thrown open the crush was so great that the building was filled to overflowing in a very few minutes, and tho doors had, to be barred. Thousands who arrived subsequently had to be turned away disappointed, and it is safe to say that more people failed to get in than did get in. Well over 3000 people we:e crowded into the hall as it was, and>soine place the figure at 3500. It was an orderly crowd, and it waited patiently enough for the arrival of the Premier. Mr Seddon himself had some dithculty in gaining access to the building, as tho disappointed ones outside plotted to raid him and make him speak there in stead of inside the building, and it took the exercise of all the burly good nature and tho assistance of the strong arm of the law to secure him an entrance. When he made his appearance on the platform, which was crowded with representative citizens and tho members of the local bodies, there was a scone of wild enthusiasm. Cheer after cheer rang through the building, and tho ladies rose in their soata and fluttered their handkerchiefs wildly. The vigorous applause quite drowned a mild counter demonstration from an obviously arranged corner, and it was only when the cheering ceased that tho few malcontents could make tluvm selves hoard, and. then the cheers rocommoncod to drown it. This happened repeatedly, for whenever there was an attempt at interference the enthusiasm of the audience took charge and drowned it in cheers. For fully an hour this sort of thing was persisted in, and it was only then that the masterly spirit of the Premier showed in the same old way, for he gradually took charge of the lions?, and won them persuasively ove v to listening to his speech in an orderly quietness, punctuated only by repeated applause. His speech, which lasted three hours, was a masterly refutation of the attacks made upon his administration, and it has done much to hearten up the Liberal cause, although it was not in any way failing in Canterbury. Fully 80 per cent of the meeting wore with the speaker before ho finished, and it was undoubted that quite a largo proportion of thoss who cam-? to scoff remained to pray. Mr Scddcm is in great heart, and in good fighting trim, and his speech will be long remembered in Christchurch as having been tho occasion of one of the largest and moat successful political gatherings ever held in that city.