"MONSTER" DEMONSTRATIONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1926, 8 December 1913, Page 8

"MONSTER" DEMONSTRATIONS

MR. YOUNG TALKS OF "BRIGHTER DAYS." A sidelight on the waning enthusiasm of tho strikers here is tho tlio rapidly thmimshin<r atteiklaiico at the Sunday afternoon 'inass" meetings and "monster' demonstrations. Yesterday tbo orators addressed a small and cheerless gathering at Courtena.y Place, and speeches a.bout the "solidarity of La* hour" and iho determination of tho workers wore duly made, Tho speakers. warmed. up when tliey camo to their favourite subject of tho iniquity of newspapers and pressmen. Ono of tho speakers averred that in Christci'iurc!!, tho .authorities wero training tho special polico there bv making thexn cliai-go dummies; He attached somo significance to a striko of newsboys, who had demanded sixpence instead" of fourpence a dozen for papers sold by them. "'They might have been nblo 'to copo with tho old Red Fcd3.," ho said, "but tho young .Rod Feds, aro coming on, ! and they might not bo so casv to deal with." i

The event of the, evening, in strike circles, was tho appearance' of Mr. W. T. Young (who i-s at present on bail's, at His Majesty's Theatre, when tho usual weekly strike gathering was held. Mr. P. Fraser presided. Mr. Young said he was advised that tho result "of tho Now South Wales elections up to thatmoment was, "Labour 36." This was tho signal for rapturous cheers, but when tho speaker added, "Liberals 34," thero was quito a long-drawn-out "Oh I" of disappointment at there only being a difference of two . between tho rival factions. Continuing, Mr, Young said that whilst, ho was very sorry to lcavo his summer residence to pay a brief visit to t'ho city, ho was exceptionally glad, alter threo weeks' retirement, to tell them that lira backbone was just as stiff as ever. Whilst ho had been caged up. the newsboy had not called regularly, and ho had not been, able to keep exactly in touch with tho trend of passing events, but he was very ploased to find the way matters were working from -their point of view. He said that thoy (his hearers) would understand that he liad got to ho a little bit careful. Ho.was Convict 209§ on ticket-of-lea-ve. 110 Isold other men's money on the tip of his tongue, and ho was not going., to risk t'hat money. If r.eccssar.v, so far as ho was* personally concerned, he could havo got between £15,000 and .C 20,000 to- bring about his release. One man alone was.prepared to provide fCOOO. He was not one of Msssey's foreigners, but stood on his nativo earth, Tho speaker then delivered a tirade against tho press, Tins Dojhxjo.v and "Evening Post" beinu specially singled out, for attention. Ho alleged that The Down-ion- 'had inferred that on the night of his arrest he had evaded tho police authorities—that Jio must havo entered liis home by tho back do or, and that he was nothing more or less than an absolute 'coward To disprove this hp entered into a, minute account of h.is movements on the night in ones, lien. Speaking of the special constables, lie asserted that a very huge number of these men who hail taken the oath of flllcaiance would leave tiro waterfront if they could do so. Ho believed that some of ilic-.n had' beca brought down ululer tho power o.f coercion, exercised through' the medium of the mortgage, and that power was held over them. Rut a brighter day was coming twelve months hence, and lie urged everyone or. the side of Labour to ma lie absolutely certain before next election to see that their names were on the roll.

Another speaker. Mr. Campbell, assorted that a friend of his at Lvttcllon —a special constable—had told rim what Colonel Chafl'ovV. instructions to tho 'Cossacks" had been: "Let the first move by the strikers bo a lesson to the workers. Pick out your man and nut force into yo-.ir blows," Then the Government had sent an ambulnree along, and nurses, to nick un the wounded. There were l'hr«o other speakers,. Mr. .T. Robertson, M.P., rouwlmr un with a defence of tho Federation of Labour.

I A labourer, Richard Brass, whose : home is at 10 Ferguson Street, Patmcrston North, had one of his legs broken Into on Saturday afternoon on the wharf. The accident, was tlio result,, of a barrel of whisky falling out of a sling on io Brass's leg. The ancient custom of "horn dancing" took place at Abbots Bromley, Burton-oii-'L'ront, recently, jvlion costumed dancers carrying reindeer horns, which iuive been stored in tho chnre-h f-sr four centuries, and astride hobby-horses, .went through the countryside) to the strains of nig-lirno music. A curious fashion, which is said to be spreading, was lately introduced into p. cemetery in Ohio —namely, carving on a gravestone au enlarged facsimilio of tho .sdjuaturo of tlm deceased,