ON THE STUMP.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 471, 1 April 1909, Page 6

ON THE STUMP.

AN ADDRESS THAT DID NOT COME OFF. "The Potato Growing Industry" was tlio subject which Mr. W. P, Price was advertised to speak on last night. And ho meaut to speak on it, but whether the crowd of a- couple of hundred persons who assembled at the corner of Courteuay Place and Taranaki Street meant to hear him on it was quite a different matter. The .lorry from which ho delivered his address Was decoratcd with flags. ■ At 7 o'clock a start was made with the address, which was to uphold the rights of British subjects, but boforo much progress had been made interjections began to bo hurled at the orator. As time grew late tlio missiles grew larger, and moro material and Chinese crackers replaced colonial retorts. One persistent interjector raised a doubt in the mind of the orator as to whether he was doing his share of tlio speaking. "Did I advertise this'meeting or did you?" ho asked angrily. • "Vou did," answered some \obliging hearers. "Well, givo mo a chance, then,'"- was the plea. After many more interruptions,, the mtin of tho stump gave his views on.a variety of matters ranging from the manufacture of linseed oil, which seemed to have 601110 connection with British loyalty, to railway management, which was also made to bear on municipal muddling and macadam roads. On the subject of railway mismanagement high flights of oratory were readied. "I liavo been down to tho station," he shouted,' waving his arms. "What! Tho police station!" came an answering yell. . , "I liavo been down to tho station and seen 40 men who couldn't get tickets. I spoke to the stationmaster, and he said 110 had been marking tickets for three-quarters of ail hour—" An Interjector: Pak-a-poo tickets? 1 Eventually two photographers secured a van-, tage point on the roof .of a verandah opposite, and vero preparing to flashlight photograph. At tho request of tho crowd, to "look pleasant," the speaker refreshed himself from a lemonade bottle, and posed. In his left hand ho held the White Ensign—upside'downeither an emblem of loyalty or a signal , of distress. All was ready, when tho' photographers asked the occupant of the lorry to "move along a little." Vailing hands moved vehicle and all "along a little," and then bolted with them right round the street, leaving them stranded in front of tho Egmont Hotel. There a couple of constables interfered, and the would-bo orator was allowed to push the lorry back to tho old place and have the photograph taken. Further proceedings were mixed and dii> orderly.