MUDDLE OUTSIDE TOWN HALL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 6

MUDDLE OUTSIDE TOWN HALL

HIS EXCELLENCY'S DIFFICULTY;: PtiEJSsiIAN'DEiIS..■WITH OFFICIAL. -With'..'the trouble''which-.occurred in Dunedinto warn the authorities in Wellington against' risking .any complications it ; was-anticipated that the arrangements made, for ..the-civic reception to Lord Kitchener, would: result in things running smoothly; .'.As.far as. the arrangements, inside" the 'Town ■ Hall were "concerned things certainly, did run smoothly, but outside the hail there was general discontent,- not' only amongst citizens, but amongst officials who could, not, gain ad-mission..;-.":..i. •'.-,;■ i- ■•,'.'.-'■ -~. ,■.■''.■ ,

The;plari,of campaign was to close tht. doors of the ..Town Hall, as soon as, the big hall was full,; and , this arrangement was carried out. Soon after three o'clock the order "house full" was issued, and all the doors were closed, and , orders given to .the. doorkeepers that no one was to be admitted. This order, appears have given rise to all the trouble, owing to, the doorkeepers ; who could be 'approached keeping strictly to the. letter of the.instruction. -Early-.in- the afternoon two.prominent city;councillors, who may be termed the hosts of. the occasion, were seen having. ..an altercation _with . the police as to,whether or.'not'thsy should be admitted. Before ■ matters ■ became really serious the councillors convinced the.'.guardians of the door that-they, had every' right to. be. admitted,.; and 'they were passed through..... ./ , , . . ~. ■ His .Excellency .the. .Governor,:-appar-ently thinking: that the front, of the building was -too'. orowded to enable- him to go in through the main -entrance, sought admission at a.side;gate, but an inflexible veteran, who was oh guard,, exolaimed: "No admission,".:.and referred his Excellency.-to the front door. ■ - ; - :

This,'.same ..veteran , ; threat»ned..to ~use violence,with ; a press .rejorter, ..who,, had tried every-means of gaining access to the.buildinfC; imagining- that his paper was not represented, owing, to „ the muddlement ■""■ at, - the, : -doors; ■'. eventually tried, to 'scale a 10ft; wall at'the rear, of th'e.-hall.. Armed- with '■ W long-pole- the veteran; threatened to' knock, the reporter off'the ,top of .'.the wall. if he made any further movement. The big drop' and ..the pole-persuaded the pressman that cretion "was.,the;better part;of valour," 'and' he. , . nursed;, his 'wounded dignity, on the top , of the wall; ■-.- ',:. ' ■ Another, reporter,' however,-was'not--so easily,held';in chebk.v .He was refused admissio,n—reporter or no .reporter. This, however, he refused.to accept as final, and .'within 'a'; minute 'he' .was walking over the' ' prostrate body : ' of '■ the door- ■ keeper. \ '.The two : representatives .of our evening' contemporary:, were v, unable 'to gain admission, until within ten- minutes of .the close. . -It ;i6. also reported •': that, at least,. one: Minister, of-, the.. Crown* had some trouble in gaining admission, and one of/the oldost city councillors in .Wellington; ; who 'had- 'just'' arrived■ from- a visit to? Auokland, was , paraded round, ■and-round .the-,'Towii, Hall..lnvhis-'vain endeav'oujcs' tqvgain".admission'. , -\lt. was, very "clear' froni-'the' 'trouble, that arose that soirieontf'-liad-- blundered, .;ahd". : "a little' forethought .'■ by- : providing passes ito those who'hadto be present would have avoided much .difficulty and annoyance. •: