IN THE SQUARE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1311, 14 December 1911, Page 6

IN THE SQUARE.

A POLITICAL MEDLEY. LIVELY SCENES. Miscellaneous politics and a little horseplay occupied the dinner hour in the Post Office Square yesterday. Candidates of all parties, and several of their supporters, addressed the crowd from different improvised platforms. Mr. l'isher, speaking from an express, addressed an orderly and sympathetic crowd on. the absolute necessity of turning out "a party composed of men who are traitors to the cause they profess to represent." He scored off interrupters and answered a number of questions. He had to dnny yet agaiii the story that he had worked'as a "blackleg" on the wharf during a strike, which, as lie stated once more, took place when ho was a ( boy at the Terrace School. A' Socialist got into an altercation with Mr. Fisher, and wanted to get up into the express and make a speech, but Mr. Fisher told him there wero plenty of other carts about. The Socialist went a few yards away, mounted a soap-box, and started shouting his economic gospel in rivalry of Mr. Fisher. Several of the crowd called out to the Socialist to "shiit up," but he went on talking with few or no listeners.

Mr. Fisher, in reply to a question, said he did not believe Mr. M'Laren ever asked him for his vote in support of a motion against the Dreadnought offer. Mr. John Morris Schapiro, whose troubles with, the Official Assignee and the Supreme Court were much talked of some time ago, made an earnest appeal tor votes for Mr. Fisher, who had tiiken up his case and got it referred to a Parliamentary Committee, which made a favourable recommendation.

Hearty cheers were given for Mr. Fisher before he went away. There 'was a feeble counter-demonstration in favour of his opponent.

"Comrade" Dowdall then got into the express and began to make a speecK, but the crowd would not listen, the express drove on, and the orator came down on the floor of it with a bump. The crowd was delighted. They then surged towards the Socialist, who was still holding forth, and dislodged him from his soap-box.

. Meanwhile Mr. Wright ■ had begun to speak from an express in another part of the Square. The Labour party in the next Parliament, ho said, would be too small to do very much, whereas the Reform party was pledged to do somo- . thin? at once for the benefit of the people. It would endeavour to reduco tho cost of living. It would bring down taxation, save waste, reduce the old age pension limit for women from 65 years to 60,-a'nd initiate insurance against unemployment. The Keform party had no sympathyiwith land monopoly. While Mr. Wright was speaking, Professor Mills and Mr. Arthur Withy, the rejected Liberal-Labour-No-Licenso candidate for Auckland East, began oratorical operations on another express not far off. This gave Mr. Wright an opportunity of saying ,that the Labour candidates apparently could not fight their own battles, but had to. go to America for an advocate. Ho did not waut any such outside help. (Applause.) He had nothing against the Labour party, but he wanted the electors to think, of tli6 consequences before sending to Parliament a small body of men, without knowing how they would vote on a no-confidence- inotiou.

By this time, Mr. Hindmarsh was standing up in the Mills-Withy express, and . shrilling across the intervening crowd at Mr. Wright: "You're a nominee of Tub Dominion newspaper!"

Mri Wright: He says I'm a nominee of Tin: Dominion. I say he is a nominee of a Labour paper, and ho would be glad of the support of The Dominion, if he could get it.

Amidst much uproar and confusion, several hot shots were fired from platform to platform. • . . . Mr. Hindmarsh: If you can't get in without the aid of TnE Dominion, you'd better keep out of political life "altogether.

Mr. Wright: The people of South Wellington will decide, that question, and you haven't .even got a vote there.

Mr. Hindmarsh: Don't allow yourself to , be misled by The Dominion - ! Keep true (o Labour! , The Democracy against Thk Dominion! Mr. Wright'.: The Reform party mil 1)0 returned with a working majority. Mr. Wright finished, and was"rewarded with hearty cheers, mixed with somy hostile noise, just as Mr. Fletcher stood up iiithe place lately occupied by Mr. Hiiidinarih. ' ■ '

Mr: Fletcher said that if the people elected Messrs. Hindmarsh, M'Laren, Moore, and himself, the city would l>e well represented.

"Comrade" Dowdall then mounted the express vacated by the Wardist-Labbur combination, but again he could'uot got a hearing, again the vehicle was driven on, and again.he fell. . He then spoke from the ground, and was listened to. Mr. It. Clement. Kirk tried lo speak from on'express close to where Mr. Dowdall was holding forth, but could not make himself heard until he moved away a bit. Ho then advised the electors to vote for Mr. Fletcher and the Labour candidates.

The Socialist who had started when Mr. Fisher was speaking then got a hearing from the,small remnant of the crowd.

HAWKE'S BAY. IBy TclciraDh.-Snccial CorrcsDondenl.i Hastings, December 13. Election prospects for to-morrow are much as I predicted a week The indications are that Mr. Campbell, the l?<"fovm oandid.'ito, will win. by a large majority. Both the Minister of Public AVorks and Mr. Geo. havo bec;i here in the interest? of Mr. Sim-on. (he GoTernment candidate, lint their visit inot likely to have materially iuliueutrd the .voters.-