"TO PARLIAMENT!"

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

"TO PARLIAMENT!"

REMARKABLE SCENE AFTER THE MEETING. KNOCKINC AT THE CATES. A SIGNIFICANT DEMONSTRATION. ■ p - ' W. Aitken's advice to those who m r night's indignation meeting at the "own Hall to rise en masso and approach even iiato the hnfls of Parliament did aoi fall on doaf cars. On tho meeting coming to a close, tho groat audience surged through tho several exits into the street. 1 lie people then assembled before the main entrance in Lower Cuba Street, and the word that an advance was to be made on Parliament travelled like a flash through tho dense mass. Wlien this crowd, anything up to two thousand in number, had assemblod it moved off southward, and to tho lilt of tho tuno of "John Brown's Body" it swung from .Mercer street into Willis Street, rousing the city, with its inspiriting' song. The words wore a good deal removed; from the American war tune. On listening closely they were discovered to be—

"We'll liang .Toe "Ward on a sour apple treo (repeat thrice). As wo go marching home. . Glory, glory, hallelujah! etc.. As the citizen army tramped along in disordered array, the crowd grew as does tho rolling snowball, and must haws numbered about 3000 when traversing Lambton Quay. Occasionally t&tra were intervals in the song, but thcEo were filled in with. cheers anu good-humoured banter, but over and again was caught up the refrain, "Well's hang Joe Ward," eta. AT THE GATES. On arrival at the main entrance to the' grounds of the House of Parliament in Bowen Street tie gates were found •• to be shut. Word had been telephoned ahead giving the officials time to close and barricade the gates with stout Bin._ by ' 6m. planks. An urgent , order had been issued to tho police to reinforce tho staff at Government House, and within a . quarter of an hour there were some thirty constables operating within and outsido the gates', linder Sergeants Kelly and Dale.' , The crowd which assembled before the gates must have numbered between 5000 and 6000. It was remarkable for its orderliness and restraint under tho circumstances, and whilst it : did not fail'to .exercise its lungs tbe're'iras'ho attinipt at anything of a .siolont, wturo. A' few yqwpg spirits attempted to scale'®a'fcri6e, v b'ut'w®6'ordered back ,by the police. There was sonle pushing indulged in; that made the gate-post rock a little, -but'vat' no' was there 'any danger of a serious crush, and to those members of Parliament who spoke a singularly quiet hearing was given. "We want .Fishorl" "Send for Fisher!" yelled thoso in the 'front. "Say you in there" (this to a policeman) "get a move on, mid bring out Fishorl" "Threo cheers for Fisher (" Never did Mr. Fisher seem so popular, for the crowd gave the'cheers in. ringing stylo. "Three hoots, for Joo Ward 1". suggested another ; and with surprising unanimity they were given. "Whore's Fishor—we want Fishert" This lasted for perhaps a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, When the shout, "Here comes Fisher!" caused tho multitude (which extended to the Wellington Terrace oit the ono lin.nd, up Bowen Street right ahead and round Museum Street to the left) to shout with joy. MR. FISHER AS PEACEMAKER. Mr. Fisher mounted the double gate and stood on tho top of one of tho gate-posts alongside a gas lamp. Fresh cheers greeted him before ho could speak, and cries of "Good boy, Fisher!" and renewed' cheering smote the air. As soon as tho'hubbub subsided, Mr. Fisher said: "Ladies and gentlemon—" A cry went up : "Three hoots for Ward." Mr.' Fisher: "Never mind about that now." ■ "Ladies and gentlemen," he continued as soon as something like silence reigned, "1 want to put the position before you. The Houso has now adjourned for half an hour, and I must in a few minutes and finish my speech of protest.- (Applause.) What 1 want to say is this —there could have been no nioro emphatic protest against tho action of Parliament than this. (prolonged applause and disorder.) • I want lo ask you to do this: You have made what is up to tho present not only an emphatic protest but a dignified protest, and I ask you not to mar it." . (Ones of "Wo want Ward.") Continuing , after tho interruption, Mr. Fishor said: "Nothing more can be done than is being done by your representatives in Parliament at tho present time.' (Hear, hear, and applause, and cries of'"We can't hoar.") Tou can't hear because there is not accommodation. I must confess I would bo delighted to debate this question in the House with all of you sitting in the galleries. Voices: "Ask Ward to resign"; "Is Joo stooping?" "Whoro.is Joe?" . • After some delay, Mr. Fisher said that tho whole of the-present proceedings were the outcome of. the desire of one man that tho whole of the public business of the Dominion should be subordinated to his own interest. / Cries of "Sba-me on him I" "Hear, hoar!" "Good old Fisher!" and loud applause. As Mr. Fisher returned to the House he was told to "Tell Ward there is an urgent message!" "Bring out Ward," "Give Massey a call."

An necks wcro craned to Bee what was taking place inside tho gates, and as members, private secretaries, Hansard reporters, and messengers trooped out to ascertain to what stage developments had readied, fresli cheering roso from tho closely-packed throng. "Tommy Taylor will bo hero in a few minutes!" cricd a lad perched on tho fence, and hilarity again burst forth. It was not Mr. Taylor, however, but only a policesorgeant, who clambered np tho gate, and tho crowd oppressed disappointment in unmistaknblo terms. "This is an all-night sitting," said ono, amid the clamour, and a call for "Three ohoors for 'Tommy'" was vigorously le•sponded to. MR, WRIGHT SPEAKS. At last a party was seen approaching from tlio Buildings. Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., came forward, and mounted the barricade. Poised above one of tho lamps, ho spoke out in a clear voico which was heard even on tho outskirts of tho crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "in every British community it is tho right of! the individual to lodge a protest against anything which lie thinks is in the nature of an injustice—(applause)—and I believe to-night that this largo audionco who have come from tho Town Hall have simply registered their protest against something which they hold 18 not in fcha interests of *J>o M a

whole. (Loud applaii3e.) Ho was gratified, ho said, that *m; was a Britisher, and that they could lodgo a' protest or formulate a resolution without viokinoo. hoar.) It was a glorionß thing that, undo? tho most trying circumstances, tiisy ocuid still oonduct themselves in this way. They ll had registered an emphatic protest against tho adjournment of Parliament. (Voioetf: Against Ward.) They had dono all that waa possiblo: thpy had strengthened tho banda of tho Wellington mombera, and had supported them in their action. (Applause.) 'Repetition was inado of tho invitation to Mr. Taylor to speak, and Mr. Wright mado this statement: "Mr. Taylor has been spoken to, and he says that it is not the business of a member not talonging to the district t« , come —" A voico: It is tho business of .tho Dominion. "Mr, Taylor is as strongly opposed to tho adjournment of Parliament as any man here to-night," continued Mr: Wright. A voioo: Why doesn't ho como and say so? _ " • Mr. Wright: Ho deems it tho "proper oourso for a member elcctod by Christeiuich people to' address a meeting down thoro if there is an opportunity. Voices: There is no opportunity. Mr. Wright concluded by advising tia crowd to disperse quietly, but ho was interrupted by such demands as: "Wo want Ward,' "Davo M'Laron," "Why doesn't Ward como out?" "Why should the gates be closed on us?" < Mr. Wright said that it was impossiblo for any Wellington member or other member, in fact, to insist on-a Minister of tho Crown coming to address, tho audience. He would ask them to go homo in a sensible manner. (Cries of "Wo won't," ■ and "Wo want Sir Joseph.")

"HERE COMES M'LAREN." ' Aftor.Mr. Wright had returned to the Houso tho crowd ..seemed inclined to take his good N advice and disperse, but just aß'tho tliin-ning-out process was beginning, a cry from within was heard, "Hero comes M'Larcul" "Good old Mac!" .Mr. M'Laren 'said ho understood, that a letter he had written-, to tho meeting had not been read tlierej which placed him in an entirely false position. Ho had been announced to speak, but during the day had gained the impression, right or' wrong, that the meeting had been convened for party purposes—(Cries of "No I")—anU that being so ho could not attend. From what ho had heard sinco he did not think that lie was very far out.' If such a meeting was convened either by the Opposition or the Government, his position-as the representative of Labour would not allow him to attend. Holding that position, and as a. youiig man at the outset'of his career—(A voice: "Not too young,' Davie I")—ho had to bo careful, very careful, lie referred .in . vigorous terms to the unconstitutional action of the Government, who had adjourned • Par- -~ liament at a time when there was so much . serious business -to attend , to, but Baid -it - was tho fault of the people who had acted too lato. Thoy should have acted six ' months ago. A voico: "So should you—what do wo pay you for?" . , v Finally Mr; M'Laron advised them that nothing could'be done further that night, but ho would address any meeting cf citi- ■ | zens in protest of what was being dono by tho Government in proroguing Parliament. —(A voice: "You've missed the 'bn^') —and hoped that such meetings would be arranged not only in Wellington but in other parts of the Dominion: ; After Mr. M'Laron returned to the Houso tho'crowd gradually' dispersed, and a ■ remarkable demonstration came to an end. AN ORDERI.Y CROWD. On' being questioned late >.st night, tho police stated that.the,crowd, though a very large ono, was very, orderly throughout,. No damage of any kind was done, and generally tho constables had nothing to complain of though they were scattered hero and there in.tho crowd-

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. CHEERS THAT FAILED. A reference to tlio indignation ; hifeoting was''made' by -''the ::-I'rimßv'-Minister ■'in -tho 1,4 1 House late last night; ■He stated t-hat' : if ho • had had time ho would have been 1 down at ' the meeting, and ho would have referred to the courage of ; thoso who came behind a' man's-back to attack-him. Ho was told •• that "they had been , trying to arrange for a littlo adverse demonstration : to' himself on Friday. Lot them do it, and if Mr. Aitkon, who, it was understood, had invited a-num-ber of men'from tlw. meeting to come up , and storm, i or visit, that building, :nade a ... demonstration then, lie felt-sure that tho people of Wellington, who wero as loyal as any others ; in Now Zealand, would express, their opinion of the action. Mr. Jennings (Taumarunui), in moment of enthusiasm, asked the House to give threo cheers for Sir Joseph Ward. Cries of "No," "No" wero raised. Mr.: Jennings, undaunted, gave tho cheers, ■ ono after the other, somewhat slowly, but no ono elso took up tho ~ salutation...