WILD MEETING AT MASTERTON.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1080, 20 March 1911, Page 4

WILD MEETING AT MASTERTON.

ME. H. D. BEDFORD ON AO-LICENSE. (By Telegraph.—Snccial Correspondent/) Mastcrton, March 19. One of the most exciting incidents which has occurred in Mastcrton for many years took place last evening, when Mr. H. D. Bedford, M.A., of Dunedin, replied to allegations made by the "Wairarapa Daily Times" that seventeen business premises in Mastcrton had closed (or were closing) during the period of uolidense. About a thousand persons assembled, and Mr. Bedford was subjected to a great deal of heckling and interruption. He asserted that the statements of tho paper in question were exaggerated, and that, as a matter of fact, only ono or two business places had permanently closed down. Also, there had been a decrenso in crime and bankruptcy. He alleged that depression in Palmerston North and Wellington was more acuto than in Masterton, and attributed any shortage of trade which had occurred to causes outside no-license. There was immense excitement as Mr. E. G. Eton, a local tradesman, ascended the platform, and declared that, as a resident, of twenty-five years, he had no hesitation in saying that local option had been a perfect failure. Mr. Bedford replied that Mr. Eton did not support his statement with facts, whilst he (Mr. Bedford) had adduced evidence ' that no-license had been a great success. The gathering, which was tho most disorderly ever seen in Mastcrton, broke up with cheers and counter-cheers.