OUTSPOKEN CORRESPONDENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1294, 24 November 1911, Page 6

OUTSPOKEN CORRESPONDENT.

THE ATTEMPT TO 11ELITTLE MR. MASSEY'S MEETING. (By Tilceroph.-Sjjecial Correspondent.) Invercargill, November 23. With reference to recent assertions by the Prime Minister regarding Mr. Massoy's Winton meeting, a man why tavs: "1 have never supported the Opposition party either by speech or letter, nor have J ever voted, nor do 1 intend to, tnr an Opposition candidate, but 1 always believe in lair play; and in polities'! cons'ider each side should get a fair hearin" nnd fair criticism"—writes to the "South" laiul Times." lie stales that (ho abuse which Sir Joseph Ward hurled at the n;;ent of tho Press Association for reporting in a fair and impartial manner an opponent's meeting is, in his opinion, nothing short of disgraceful. j He adds: "As our who takes an interest in the politics of the country, I journeyed to Winton to hear Sir Joseph Ward, with the object of hearing 'tho other tide.' I was present at Mr. Maswy's meeting, and i have read the Press Association renorts appearing in the northern press of both meetings, and thov are certainly fair and impartial to anyone unbiased who attended both tho Winloii meetings. "Tlie fact was plain that, while .Sir Joseph Ward received a good hearing, the meeting iu no manner whatever reached Mich enthusiasm ■as tlmt of Mr. Money. Sir Joseph Ward was greeted throughout with applause by hand-dapping and stamping of feet, but at no part of his meeting did tho audience reach the samu degree of enthusiasm as that accorded to Mr. Massev throughout tho whole, of his address. Mr. Massev was greeted with rousing ehcors, and to an outsider it seemed as if this was tlie only adequate way in which tho people could express their overwhelming enthusiasm. "Your reporter aud tho agent of tho Press Association certainly did not overestimate the attendance- at Mr. Massey's meeting. There was practically no standing room available, whi'lo at Sir Joseph Ward's meeting there was quite an empty spaec at 'ho back. "At both meetings I was in a position (0 see the crowd, and 1 certainly think that in stating Mt. Massev's meeting at 500 more than Si- Joseph Ward's, your reporter was erring 011 tlio small side."