BATTLE STRUCK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2182, 22 June 1914, Page 5

BATTLE STRUCK

IN RED FED. MEETING INTEGRITY 0F 3IR. HERDMAN TRIBUTE TO MiNISTIB BY MR. A H. niNDiVIARSH, M.P. I In *he chief centres of New Zealand meetings «ere held last .night to protect against tin- imprisonment of eertsm strike leauei'g, audi .to .p.a-ss-t : esp.lkr tlp.ns asking lor their leic'isc. The \\ cllinßUm meeting was held in ; the King's Theatre, Mr, A. Agncw, chairhi»h of the late Strike Committee, ''pre* sided. ■Mf. p, H. C.lrapman moved the clitef tf!s<iluti'oft, iy.hibli was to; the following eltcct; "That this meeting considers that the laiv of eoditio.it, under which Mr. llarry Holland is at pie'eni uhdeijjoing a term of imprisonment , is obsolete. and a survival .of the time when the right. of free speech wa;s not ieco"- ■ :nised as. tjjo wiviidge ef «vei:y 'ji.ri.ti3s subject, and that it is regretted that, it should ho put into force in a ycting and democratic o.on.utr.y. This " meeting, therefore, calls ou tlio Government to follow tlio precedent adopted by the British Uoverrmot'it in the cases .of Jlr. JWkin and Mr, Tom Maim, :md release Mr. Holland," _ Mr. .John Glover seconded the resolution. A Rift In ti)3 Lute. ...Mr. A, li. liindmai'sh,. MvP.,, was then called o« to speak. Up to thi.a Point tlm meeting had been harmonious, !Mr. Hindmarsh'S entry oi: tlie f;eld, however, produced a chaiige. His opening words pi'odiftfcel n . eonsi.deiabie! flutter. ' 'It Is not jjijSFiblc," lio s.iid., "in n liibeting Ij'fte this ■ '.to .otrdoiße oVcr.vthiiia snirl by rJi spoakcrf-, lmt, srs far as Heiiand is concerned, I iliink 'bat the time Ins eonie uhon h(»..;slioiti.4 ; bo ■ When, the member for Wellington gnui-h wen!, on to say that : he was. absolutely eottftiient fliar, unless 'b" class. : wef6 prepared to dis- ; eiplinc: theni'sdlves antl re'spee'fc 'thb l'i)\i } , there would be 3)0 for their cause:, lie was ..greeted with ironical cheers. v ■j 1 ;« * : ■Must Faoo the ■ Facts. ;i • ' 'Wo must rcc.ognise facts," Mr. IJmdm.irsh <s:mtinue(l, "if \\c aie io malte any progress in the Labour nioye-iije')i-t.i ana one of tlio facts wo miist recognise in New Zealand, is. that Ikei«s is ..a, .grest-. deal ..of want of unity ' an.ongst the.Labour l'aitv. 1 ' . (Dfciwn't and applaiise.) T/k. next .tact to bo faced, Mid tbo speaker, was the ncctsMity of trying to draw all factions in ] the party together, the days of abuso have gone by. It yen want, to .ji'niatgamntc the Lab.atir. Party ybu must .-ip. proach tho milter with the merest . discipline... liv thy Iniporiori'arliament the Labour Party had. dignified this , llwise M CJommons, becnueo they know how to conduct themselves, and did not. fl> ,nio a, passion when the\ mot- with opposition. {Cues of dissent.) As tbo law stood, continued tho speaker, Holland wab corvicted, and it was no use talking about that now. . "It is 'to use .aly.-ays harping 'on il)o..pas! r '' saia. "Ivct ub facc the present/' (l)isseut) Holland was pont -to gaol ior .a crimo ..winch a man can confmit , but which liq could very easily evade by a littlo eir'cuinlocution, or .tiio; uso of tiie word '.'if." At times .pf .c-scito- ; niqn.t it might bo considered :.nbcessiiry . to put sonio curb on a man's tongue, but when tho- circum.t.tar.ees were past, as was tho case no>v, ho thought, that tlio law had been amply vindicated, . and Holland could .be selcased. (Applause.) : ■ Things Grow Lively. "Holland's tunn?," said M) Hind.marsh,, .".was I .' im artificial', 'crime, and ■ now' that tlio trouble is over the Gov- . ornmcnt might bo as.ked to. release him. Wo jnust '-Te'cogiiis'S tho - fact that, wo cannot get unamiiiity in New Zealand just now. That may go on. for months or ff.r years, and, in the me-intime, Holland is still in gaol. Why not b® the Hon; 3Vlj> Hordman and appeal :to ; his reason."' ■ . Ai this, stage them wj*b, sotiicthing Isko pandemonium, mid . women wcro ■ as. prominent .as men in tho hostile demonstration that greeted the stig--1 gostion. ; ' ' Mr. Hindmarsh was : by now fix lull : lighting forijt. Oesticiilatuig and shouting. he fired home life rfiteirt: i! 'fl@f a. iiitother fact you "want to . recognise, You want to recognise the filet tiiat men oppffial to you m.i.y bo hnhf?t, J; : venture;to say that the lion Mi- Herdman acts a.ecording to liis cdnscience. : Heeauso his fkMiscience is not quite like yours, why dppose and a.bnse liim ?" The Budicnce took great .exceplioiv-t.o this statement, and tile speaker hiid :i : rough few minutes bctVo the. chaifmar , succeeded in restoring, order-

Minister's. Sincerity .Defended. "Are men so inexperienced,*' ' proceeded Mr. Hind'niarsh when .the lull came. '"or wanting in knowledge .as id doubt that riieii who are opposed to thvrn :a.ro honest in their " .apiiiioii's? Does any oito doubt that because. Mr. ' Hordman ■ adopts ■ civtiVelv _ different ■ views from what ib<>sc- ij.\ <his rooin 'd.o' thai ho docs not. hold those vknvs conscientiously ? (Dissent.) Titnt is c fact | : W0 must- recognise, Vj'e nmt rccngnise • that our .opponents mav bo honest- men wiio 'conscieiitiousl.v hold tho.tr opinions. If we do that- then wis have Eot.j flc; - . forward in our movement. But if wr act tho Pharisaical part aiid say that wo are the only honest m«n in .ib« world and that no 0110 who differs with us is linnest, then w6 alO setting ba.ck tlxe..movement which we have nt bean.'' IJoro there was again a bosiilo demonstration , bjit.Mr. Hiudmarsh shouted over tho din that he had been 25 years connco'cd with the iabo.ur nrovomeni in Wollinnfoti., b-.ii hi? wa.s cut "todo com! for tin* Movement. JJe was nut tp siv-'i.lc life mind. saw anything wrong, which hf> know was back, !io"' : was -t«rag to speak alien' it 110 matter what rt'.tvboly else? i hou.o-M. (Applause ) Wlwr. ho. saw 1, £1k? Mion'r movement broken io nt/sms ann tly> re'sv.lts of piacticnllv n life's worir. p;nno, ..he wr.s.,,i!ot poinc to ri ;nai'n -siilepi..' oiid of the year," concluded Mr. Hind-irt.-i.TsH. ' J .for 'j.'erfiament or not, ! intend t-o 'irMlv w.ell out to voti. a-'d '•ylfiVj- J. win onrt (.uv.iKirier .or a l.l>nnsnjd <irr.i-n;rs \very iftttetfl '•■''e " fl-oii'T i,'rir'fa'is?..s Mr. ificice.y hav ; «K .snn'ren. the rcsoli!t;«ii was ri.i , 'Vi 4 lie 'nc n . , 'in!; aird car ried ninaiiiniOM-i'y.