MR. MASSEY'S AUCKLAND MEETING

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2153, 20 May 1914, Page 7

MR. MASSEY'S AUCKLAND MEETING

OPPOSITION STORIES HF/tUTED.

. Statements 'nave recently been published in the' local Anti-lleform news-' paper to tlio eliect that tins meeting addressed by the Prime Minister a. few . Weeks ago- :at Auckland Was packed with Reform Party supporters, When Mr. Jtas.sCy was a.sks.d by 'a, Doto'KfioK .re* porter last- evening whether lie had 'any* ''tiling to say about these allegations', ho replied thai -as fi totter of fact they wero scarcely worthy < f notice. However, he cor.tivined, tiie position With regard to his Auckland m!-etiu;x was. a very simple one. It was intended by the committee in charge of tho. arran.i'.ements to, open, the doors at 7.3 Ci p.jn. ■aiid adVertisehicn'ts were inserted in t-b.ft pap«s to. th,ai effect., but. a.t abaut 7' o'clock 011 tiie. evening of the meetini: !> mcssa'go calne to him at his .hotel stating that a large crowd, had already assembled and asking him whether ho M'as in favour of opening the doors .at : an earlier Iro'ur than had been arrange ed. Hi's , answer was that- lie .had 310 dbjectiojt to ii'lio doers being opened earlier than had been stated in the- advertisements. a lid thai if the ball we're filled at 7.3.0 ho was willing io commence his address then or as soon as tlio Mayor of Aucisljiiid (Mr. I'afr) war, vv iii in,: to take the chair, ""I tinilerstoad. afterwards," !\lr. MasWent on to remark, ''that the d.oorswore opened a little earlier than had been intended -and when I came aloijci a bunt, '7.30 the almost full and. .people We're, streaming in. The Mavor turned up at twenty to eiglit, and I com.tiienccd to -sneak five minutes later. There Was not iha sii-rhtest attempt at- : pneiijitg. ; Allwere adjiiitted w'Jiff.cn'iiio along while 'tiro doors were oiien, -and .frcvefal huntir-eds. were allowed to stand .in tlio piiss'ages.i lint there was im unnecessary er'iislii.n.g or anvihi'ift -of that sort. As to t.ii.e character of the meeting 1 think .1 hia:y say that I have had a. considerable experience of pTililio mcei iugK—my o'w'll and ethers—stud- n-iy Auckland mc-efi"'T was the bef.t meeting I ever saW- The anslieijce w,as tiiojrfn'ig.hly no'id-humoured. Then- we're a [ feiv ;wli'o had evidentlv -e.cii.ije. a'lon.g «)- i tending to obstruct, tw'fc they were outnumbered by,, -I. ■slrotild say, at least, i o'fiht to one., and .after a few attempts 1 t'r.oy Rubsided."