VERY FAINT CHEERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1248, 4 October 1911, Page 4

VERY FAINT CHEERS.

A COUNTER-STROKE THAT FAILED. The concluding paragraph in a local papors report of the Political Mom garnering at Palmerston on Monday night, winch was atteuded by Mr. Masscy ana other Opposition members, is as follows:— "At t'ho conclusion chocrs ivcro given for Mr. Mnssoy nnd tho other speakers, .md in responso to a call from tho body of tho hall, tlireo hearty chocrs were addod for Sir. Joseph Ward." This is incorrect. The cheers given for Mr. Massoy and his friends were a hearty and united demonstration by.tho audienco of something liko one thousand people assembled in tho Opera House. Tha "cheers" for Sir Joseph Ward were so faint that they wcro not heard at all by any of those on the platform. Two WeiJingCon reporters who attended the meeting had a similar experience. Thrv heard nothing of checrs for tho Priino jfinislor. Local reporters apponr to have been equally oblivious, foi tho "Manawaiu Daily Times," in its report of tho proceedings, makes no montion of cheers for tho Prinio Minister, though it states that threo cheors i'or Mr. ATassey and Mr. liuick wcro heartily given. Yesterday Mr. Guthrie wired to Mr. J. A. Nosh (Mayor of Palmcrston) who presided «t tho meeting asking for his version of the incident. Mr. Nash replied: "Yes, someono back hall called out when Alnsscj* rose rcplv." It appears therefore that something'in tho nature of cheering for the Priino Minister was attempted, but to doscribo tho ro- , sponso as "hearty" in comparison with tho demonstration in favour of Mr. Mnssey and his friends is grotesque. Tho rcsponso to tho attempted count or-stroko was, in fact, so faint that it was all but drowned in tho mild hubbub which, as is usual, aroso from a meeting about to disperse.