Prime Minister Scores Off Interjections

Chronicle (Levin), 23 July 1949, Page 7

Prime Minister Scores Off Interjections

WANGANUI, July 22. The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) aadressed an audience of about 900 in the Opera House here tonight urging thai the people support compulsory military training for youths of 18 years when the referendum on that issue is submitted to them on August o. Mr. Fraser 's'addreSs was i'argeiy on the linec of those given in other centres, and, ap'artj from kfrequent interjections f rom a^small minority .was given a' good hearing, his remarks often being gree'ted with applause.

At one stage when the interjections were more persistent Mr. Fraser drew a comparison between this meeting and the one.held in Auckland on Tuesday last. ' ' Our friexids here are very funny, " he said. ' ' They are nothing like Auckland at all. There I caileu them sheep in wolves' clothing. Two hundred of them liowled at me ±or two , hours, but here I would say they are sheep without the wolves' clothing. 1 heard more intelligent noises eoming from the poor lambs we met on the wa) from Wellington today. " On a show of hands the meeting carried the motion in support of eompulsory military training for the det'ence of "our country, ou.r people aud our commonwealth. ' ' The Mayor of Wanganui (Hon. W. J. Rogers, M.L.C.), presided and the sup- ■ porting speakers were Mr. Tirikatene, Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., Mr. W. A. Slieat, M.P., and Mr. E. V. O'Keefe, a member of the executive of the Wanganui ,B(S.A.