THE CITY'S PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 8

THE CITY'S PROTEST.

GREAT MEETING II THE TOWN HALL THOUSANDS TURNED AWAY. TELLING SPEECHES BY LOCAL MEMBERS ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED. A MARCH TO PARLIAMENT HOUSE, i

The meeting held in the Town Hall'last night, to protest against the adjournment' of Parliament, until September, was truly a mass meeting. The great hall was crowded iu every part, people were standing in densely packed groups around all the doors, and many, were unable to get within them. It is ,on the best authority, that there were 4000 people in the hall, and 3000 (at a careful estimate) were turned away from the doors. .. The. meeting was thoroughly united in its indignation against, the shelving of the country's business. The speecheswere freely punctuated with applause, and the interjections, which were frequentj were almost entirely of a- friendly character. , It was a" very ' impressive', demonstration. . It was only towards the close, : when two or three speakers, who apparently wanted to air some notions of their own, quite apart from tho object of tho meeting, appeared on tho paltforin, that there was any disorder. The meeting simply refused to hear anything but protests against tho actions of tho Government, and these protests it' heard with such enthusiastic demonstrations of approval, as have rarely been witnessed at public gatherings,in this city. It was not an unpatriotic gathering. It did not object to'giving Dreadnoughts to the Motherland, but it objected, with tremendous emphasis, to the' hanging-up of the country s business, and the slight put upon its representatives in Parliament. The climax was reached when some thousands of those present, acting on a suggestion of one of the speakers, marched in a body to Parliament House (as related below) to lodge their pretest I with those whom it most directly concerned. ! NO TAME SUBMISSION. The' Mayor (Dr. Newman), who presided, stated that the , hall had boon taken by. a number of people who were very much annoyed that Parliament'should bo prorogued, .and who>desired to make a protest against such a procedure. (Applause.) It was not <a' partyrmeeting,. but a meeting of. citizens to protest f against;'the action,taken. Ifthoy tamely submitted to anything thatlooked like injustice and.held their peace, Parliament ! would never consider them.v (Applause.) "It is always the noisy few who gain every-

Prime Minister oould not trust to his colleagues to conduct the business in his absence, it was< about time he kicked them out and got some fresh ones. (Cheers.) Although the spirit of Imperialism was marching throughout the land, they, should give these questions calm' and mature deliberation, and then, having furnished the Prime Minister with the policy of tie Parliament, ho could go Homo and embark upon a scheme of Imperial defence. (Applause.) But the scheme was not going to be realised by any spasmodic action. (Applause.) .They asked that Parliament should go on because, apart from defende matters, there were serious social considerations- to be attended to.'-' After tho speech of ono of the Ministers on the previous day in making his debut, the Prime Minister might well take ;him Home with him. (Cheers.) It was amazing to him that the Hon. Mr. Millar could submit to such an. indignity as was being placed upon liim on this occasion. .(Applause.) It was Required that, because • this one man packed up his .portmanteau and hat-box for the. Old Land, tho whole Parliament was- to shut up. (Applause.) An Indignant Protest. He wished to move the following resolution:— 1 1 That this meeting of citizens of the city of Wellington, feeling convinced that the public business of the Doming ion. should not be suspended, hut can . be satisfactorily transacted, during ilio. absence of Sir Joseph Ward, at the Do•fence j Conference, uy . tho remaining, 73, : members ,of Parliamentr—(loud applause)—indignantly protests against ■ the decision of tho .Parliament to prorogue for three months,

As he looked across the House at the party of forty-five members, forbidden to speak, afraid to speak, manacled, tied down, bo _felt contempt that there were constituencies in New Zealand which would tolerate such representatives. (Applause.) He was glad that the Wellington members were unanimous over this matter, and that t-bey werei prepared ,' to put up a sturdy' fight on behalf of tho people. . (Continued applause.) The cheering was kept up' until Mr. Fisher had'left the-hall. MR. WRICHrS SPEECH. Mr., R. A. Wright, JI.P. ,for .Wellington ,South, was greeted with, loud applauso, and. cries, of ".Good old Wright," ano "He's.all. right." , Ho began by emphasising.the sopiuv, ateness of . the two issues: /li Should the Premier represent New Zealand at the Im-

thing," said DrV-Ncwmani "and we are to bo the noisy many to-night." (Applause.) MR. FISHER SPEAKS. Mr. F; M. B. Fisher* M.P., wan cordially received. Ho said that he regarded the meeting as the most magnificent ever held in Wellington, inasmuch as it was not a, party gathering. The Prime Minister had objected •to the amount of talking that _ was being done by the Wellington members, who had made fourteen speeches. On tho previous evening Mr. Herdman had added tho fifteenth, and he (Mr. Fisher) wished to hurry , hack to the House to make the sixteenth. (Applause!) I The Iron Hand. , The Prime Minister, in submitting his Loau Bill, hod asked them to hurry up «nd put it through, becaußo he wanted to get his packing done. (Laughter.) The tendency .was much greater now than four years ago to mako tho country an autocracy instead of a democracy. (Applause.) The Parliament of to-day was governed moro with the, iron hand thaji any Parliament they had soon for many a long day, and tho people should :e----membcr with pleasuro that they had somo representatives who were not going to bo manaclod, and who woto not going to bo told to sit down and • keep quiet. Neither Canada nor tho Australian Commonwealth was • Bending a Prime Ministor, and tho invitation to New Zealand was exactly the samo a3 tho.others. '

porial Conference? and (2) should Parliament bo adjourned during his absence? "The first matter is his responsibility," continued Mr. Wright, "but the second is mine and yours, and I deem it my duty to protest with every fibre ■of my being against the course proposed.", The Premier , had said that' the Wellington membors were afraid of shadows, but' ho had yet to learn that any of them wore afraid of any shadow or any substance. (Applause.) The Prime Minister in his determination to make Parliament closo down seemed to regard members as so many schoolboys and himself as the schoolmaster. He. wanted to go for a holiday, and bo the school must be closed. (Laughter and applause.) He (Mr. Wright) believed that the Premier would live to regret the step ho had taken. (Applause.) He had ' misjudged public opinion, and if a referendum were taken this weok, an overwhelming majority of the people would say, "Let Parliament go on!"

A voice: Twenty to one. . Another voice: Bub it in 1 No More " One-Man System." Now Zealand (continued Mr. \Vright) was supposed to bo a democracy, and its Premier first among equals, yet we had had a onoman system for tho last eighteen years. Voices: "Yes." "We'll break it up how." Was there only one wise man in tho country? asked Mr.- Wright. If so', the sooner ho trained another tho better for tbo country. Tho Primo Minister should deem it his duty to allow ono of his colleagues to take up tbo running during his absence,- hilt if ho did not_ go, would there not bo tho High Commissioner, and also Mr. Donne, Sir Robert Stout, and Dr. Mason in London? Was thoro only one man able to'represent tho Dominion? Was tho High Commissioner's only duty to shojv visitors round London or to drink champagne ? There were scores uf pooplo in WeltiUßtoa wbu, for £200 a year,

A man in the gallery: Lot them go, and not como back again. (Laughter.) V Talk of Fools. Parliament had passed a resolution approving of tho Dreadnought offer—(a gallery occupant: Bigger fools, they! Laughter)— and liad also consented to tho Prime Minister going Home—(bigger fools, still!). "And .you," retorted Mr. Fisher, "attain the su.pomtivo," (Disorder and applause.) If tho

would drink ail tho champagne required. (Laughter' and applsuao.) In the Name of tho People. A new Leader of tho House might not bo ablo to do so well as Sir Joseph Ward, but these was an; quantity of business that could bo put through with somcono e3so in chargo. Serious questions, such as tho stringency of the money market and tho unemployed difficulty, urgently callcd for attention. A session commencing next October would only effect hasty and ill-considered legislation. "In the name of tho people who sent njeto Parliament," concluded Mr.Wright, "in the name of the electors of Now Zealand, in tho name of the business men who are looking for some relief from the tightness of the money market, in tho name of those who aro out',of work, I protest against the stoppage of tho country's business." (Load and continued applause.)

MR. A. L. HERD MAN. Mr. A. L. Herdman, M.P., said that he -looked upon the meeting as a startling exemplification of the fact that tho people of the Dominion were at last realising that they must take some interest in the Government of the country. Ho was one of those who considered it advisable for the Prime Minister to attend tho Defence Conference, but the .business of the country was of. Buch a character that it colild bo conducted by the remaining 79' members. (Applause.) What justification was there for postponing the transaction of the affairs of the country for, seven and a half months ? (Voicos: "None I") Was there a single sound reason given , for the adjournment ? (Chorus of "Noes.")

"Head of a Miserable Party." If the Prime Minister could not trust his followers to carry out the business of the country during his absence, then, indeed, lie was tho head of a miserable party. (Applause.) If he was afraid: of his own followers, why not give the Opposition party a trial spin for seven and a half months? (Applause.) .1 Tie Prime Minister might well leavo the affairs of the country in the hands of liis lieutenant, .the Hon. Mr. Millar, and he need when ho was away dread-nought. (Laughter.') There was ono remedy, said Mr. Herdman. Let the Prime Minister and-tho present Cabinet resign, so that their places could he filled by men who were desirous of bringing nhout a higher condition of things in the. public life of tho country. A Word of Warning..

Coming to the scheme to reduce the public expenditure, Mr. Hordman remarked that, if tho Civil Service was not to be impaired by the retrenchment, as stated by the . Prime Minister, it was obvious that the Service bad been crowded by incompetents for political purposes, and that the people's money bad been spent deliberately for tho purpose of keeping the present Government in office. (Applause.) Mr. Hordman . referred to tho Now South Wales ' railway revenues, ' and suggested that the Eailway Department would, boar reorganisation. (Applauso.) Ho oould see tho dawjung of a bettor political day, and lie hoped that the bnsiness of tie country would soon bo conducted on practical and sound lines, and with credit to the Dominion for which they had such a strong affection. (Loud applauso.) AN INTERLUDE. Tho Mayor hero intimated thai' it, was. desired to have a photograph taken, and Comrade Dowdall endeavoured to make a speech. Ho came,down to the stage, from iio raised'seats .behind it; and argued with tho Mayor, who sent.him back to his seat saying, "I am a tolerably , patient man, but at every meeting I'preside at, Comrade Dowdall gets up'.and behaves in ; this manner. The city has had .about enough of it.". (Loud applause.) . : . ; ; >••... . MR. J. p. W. AITKEN. Mr... J. ,G. W. Aitken, tho next speaker,; had a. good reception. Ho said that those in

charge of the'business of tho jDominion hod made a confession that they could liot carry on the business because tho chairman was going away. (Applause.) The membors of Parliament who voted for the adjournment had stultified themselves by saying that they could not do their work in the absence of ono man. Sir Joseph Ward would leave this week, and would bo at sea for a number of weeks. Voices: "Let him stop there." "Ho's at sea now I"

Suppose - (continued Mr. Aitken) that Japan declared' war on ■ Now Zealand while Sir Joseph Ward was away. Should wo just ask Japan to kindly wait until our Premier came back?. He position was a most undignified ono for all concerned. If Parliament could not go on without Sir Joseph Ward, let them caJl in Mr. y Ma-ssey, who could undoubtedly find eight men willing and capablo to join Mm in a new Cabinet. (Applause.) March to the House Suggested. "I think," continued Mr. Aitken, "that oftor tthi® resolution is put, tbo mooting should rise on masse and march down to the rial] where Parliament is sitting." This suggestion was greeted with a resounding outburst-of applause. _ "I am glad to see, Mr. Chairman," said Mr. Aitken, 'that the meeting is at ono with th° | suggestion I havo expressed. (Further applause.) I suggest that another resolution be put that wo march down en masse—" Mr. Aitken's further words were drowned in tumultuous, applause, during which ho resumed his seat. NOT WANTED. Mr. W, P. Price, who had been noticed a little earlier, apparently asking the Mayor for an opportunity to address the meeting, then mounted the platform, and was introduced by the chairman. He had a mixed liwriug, nud wo* uoninollod to cut short the

oxposjfaon, of bis policy, because of & conLuiuoqs hubbub. The Major asked him to' adhere to, tho subject under discussion, and at the conclusion of his brief Eojourn on the stage, the Mayor remarked: " I havo 110 doubt the gentleman desires to thank yon for giving him such a patient hearing." (Applause.) . Mr. Andrew Collins then mounted the platform, and was greeted with all sorts of uproar, bom tig, groaning, hissing, whistling, and clapping. He had in his hand a ehoet of paper, and it was apparently inferred by the meeting that he wished to move a hostile amendment. The only words which Mr. Collins could make audible-as far as tho press rill V° rc: " Indies and gentlemen," and a little later: "You must have a very bad caso af you won't hear a man like mc. ,; I hero were cries of "Chair." and the Mayor camo forward'and began to put tlfo resolution. ■ Mr. Collins backed away from the centre of the platform, but still tried to continue his address, but soon gave up tho attempt and retired. ' , ' RESOLUTION CARRIED. Mie resolution, on being put, was greeted with a tremendous chorns of " Ayes." Thero was a comparatively slight chorus of "Noes " and tho Mayor said: "I declare tho resolution carried." (Loud applause.) This concluded the meeting.