MR FISHER AT LYTTEITON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1932, 15 December 1913, Page 4

MR FISHER AT LYTTEITON.

FiFFECTIVE POINTS. ATTEMPTS TO SHOUT HIM DOWN, (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christcliurcb, December 14. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher addrcssea a noisy meeting at Wooisto-rt last night in support of the candidature of Mr. Miller, the Bcform candidate in tho second ballot in the Lytteltan by-election. In the midst of a constant hurricane of interjections Mr. Fisher said that be proposed te speak of the actions of the present Administration in regard to the existing industrial trouble, fho workers themselves complained of monopolies, yet the Federation of Labour was controlled by seven men. Hot elected by tho public. On October 28 a proposal was made that the matter in dispute should be referred to arbitration, but tho Federation of Labour turned that proposal-down, their explanation being that such a proposal could not bo accepted without reference to . other unions. That being so, whore did tho Federation got tlw power to striko vitiiout reference to those other uniont . J After prolonged interruptions Mr. ■Fisher said that it was a. now featuro in the politics of tfco country when » certain section of tho public opinion onnltl sav that lio public, man should I tare- tho right to speak except m their behalf, While >, a New inlander, was prevented from speaking, it naturalised American «m!d jrefc a good hearing. Mr. Fisher oflorttt 10 let anvbodv court on t!m platform, an:l speak'alternately with him. Uw oflcr was not accoptod. ~,,.•* Continuing. Mr. Fisher said that if the walcrsiders had struck on a matter of wages the striko would havp been over in a few days, for tho conditions of work among wnterssdors would have been turned inside put. He detailed the present conditions tinder which manv men wore-kept wailing kr work and said that the Government had convened a conference to prepare a scheme which would ultimately secure permanent employment to the whole of the waterside "labourers. In reply to a tmestion regarding: the Second TJallofc Repeal Act Mr. Fisher stated that tl.io reason why it was repealed was 'because, in bis opinion, them was no other statute vet devised that went ko far to rotuo ill-feeling, malice, and vindictiveness. The Government, did away with it because it was a bad Act, . In rcplv to another question Mr. Fisher said that if any Government allowed the whole of tho State to ho paralysed by a portion of the community that Government was not fit to represent the people.