THE CAMPAIGN IN AUCKLAND

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 56, 29 November 1919, Page 10

THE CAMPAIGN IN AUCKLAND

TACTICS OF LABOUR SYMPATHISERS ORGANISED ROWDYISSI AN UNSPORTSMANLIKE QUESTION .By Telegraph.—Special Oorreßpondent. Auoklarid, November 28. Organised'rowdyism was much in evidence at the meeting held last night by Mr. Thomas. • Government candidate for Auckland Central. The speaker was not given a hearing. A constant stream of interjection, suggestion, and "chaff" flowed from one section of the well-fillett hail, and that particular portion of the oudieMo w;w so'determined to carry the meeting in its own' way tllat the upneals. of neither the chairman nor the candidate himself succeeded in producing sufficient quietness to permit of the delivery of an ordered address. During a, lull. Mr, Thomas declared his belief that; there must bo a more active policy of constructing roads and railways. The Period of miiefc did not last long, ana after another noisy interlude Mr. Thomas appealed for sufficient quiet to allow those .who wished to hear his views. If tho interrupcrs did noo wish to hear him. let them go out. Why did they remain theroP At tho conclusion of the mooting tho hostile section gavo cheers for the Labour Party. The. meeting of Mr. Bennett, tho Government candidate for Auckland West, was ..also disturbed by Labour supporters at: the back of the hall. • Air. Bennett made referenco to the tactics of Labour svninathiscrs in Wellington in refusing to allow certain' candidates to bo heard. Ho said it was manifest from the utterr ances of the leaders and the actions of their sunnorters that they had yet to acauire the attributes of self-reverence, self-knowledge, and self-control, which were essential to leadership and a proper snirit of citizenship. Tho assumption that the Labour Party alone was capable of guidfiur tho destinies of the country was ridiculous. Further injection occurred at this stage, but when it subsided the candidate was allowed to proceed with his address without further serious interruption.

The following question was put to Mr. CJutha Maekenzio at ln'9 meeting last night: "Does the candidate consider his disability of blindness any serious drawback to a position as member of Parliament?" The reading drew forth an immediate and decidedly hostile demonstration. "Don't answer it!" and "Shame!" sounded from all parts of the hall. Mr. Mackenzie, however, was quite unperturbed, and in a telling little reply referred to the great work done by many blind men for the benefit of their fellows, notably Sir Arthur Pearson, and by many, blinded soldiers, the outburst'of applause following his remarks eloquently attesting to the feeling of the meeting. The meeting was a large and sympathetic one. and concluded with a vote of thanks and confidence, to which not one dissentient voice was raised.

Last night Mr. Parr, the Government candidate for Fden, addressed the largest political meeting ever held in tho Av'ondale district: He said Mr. Massey,' nut on his mettle when deserted by th» Liberals! bad shown capacity for bo'd constructive statesmanship, and tho Liberal Party had fallen from its liigli estate. IU confederates could only appeal to a great 'but a dead past. The public, however, did not want tn know what Mr, Hallance did nearly 30 years ago. It was more important to have a strong, united party to faco the nextthree years, a party which could be strong enough to put the extremist in their proper place, F/ir this Teason he would support Mr. Massey on a no-confi-dence motion. A vote of thanks and confidence was cai'rird almost unanimously, there being only three dissentients.

"A New Broom." Speaking at Wadestown last . night, Mr. I'. A. Wright referred to one of the candidates who was contesting a city seat as a "new broom," who expected if returned to Parliament to revolutionise everything, forgetting that 110 was only 0110 in eighty. This candidate hnd said that the Wellington members in tho na-st had been lazy, and had not succeeded' in- inducing the Government, to erect a. new railway station in Wellington. The inference was, of course, that had this candidate been ill the House tho station would have been an accomplished fact long beforo this. Such an inference displayed a lack of political knowledge. No member had any power to even move in the House for tho expenditure of one shilling of public money. TIIO onlv course tn be pursued was to dismiss the question on the floor of tho House, An examination of Hansard Would' prove that this had been dono time after time by Wellington members. Not onlv so, but numerous deputations, beaded bv city anil suburban members, had waited upon Ministers, without result. Such a statement that Wellington" members had neglected the cily s interests was only to bo expected from a oolitical novice.

The "Conchies:" you in favour of the conscientious objectors liavins the same privileges as the profiteering class? Mr. Luke was asked last night. . Mr. Luke: T think,tho conscientious objectors who are out of the way for the time being ought to stay there until their time is up. Most of tho audienco. applauded,' but about six men hooted. A message from Clialon-sur-Saone stated that MM. Muvet and .Mazonod; while exploring a cave near Lugny (Saone ut Loire) have discovered a quantity of bones which appeal' to bo tlioso of iuawwotlia and euro bcara.