MR VOGEL’S MEETING.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2400, 10 December 1870, Page 2

MR VOGEL’S MEETING.

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sin, —Though beluga staunch advocate of the free and liberal discussion of all matters pertaining to the public welfare, i regret to say that the boast of every true Britisher has ’.been ignominiously trampled upon at the meetings above named. The frequent interruptions and annoyances caused by that well known pest of political society, and his wilfully heedless mob, are simply a disgrace to any civilised community, especially when such persons arc supported by the so-called leading journal of the Province, whose only apparent object is to bring the country into disrepute iu order to satisfy a vicious propensity, which should have been left in the odoriferous lands of convictism. I think tl e police should have taken more energetic steps to prevent a notorious maniac from abusing the privileges of the citizen. I pitted the seemingly bewildered appearance of the Commissioner of Police on the occasion, but I think if he had been more energetic, he might have saved us from such wanton outrage and annoyance without at all interfering with .the juct privileges of any sane man. I hope, Sir, you will suggest some possible myans of preventing tho recurrence of such di- reputable scenes, and of ridding Society of at least for a time of the presence of the ardi-disturber Grant, and his Sydneyite supporter. 1 am, &c,, Sa.vox, To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir.—Every citizen who has the interest of the Province at heart must have felt hum - bated at the uproarious conduct exhibited at the Theatre last night. Although it mint * he evident to anyone who ha; taken the trouble to inform himself as to the public feeling in the Province that the General Go« verumeut financial scheme is a most uu<

popular measure, yet 1.-hope few arc prepared to make this au excuse for the rowdyism of last evening and the ungcntlcnwnly conduct in refining to hoar Mr Vogel. It matters not hy whom he whs invited to .address the public, still he was invited, and anyone who did not wish to hear him could have absented himself. Those who attended and took part in the uproar ought, if they have any self-respect, to feel no little mortification on reviewing their conduct. By their action they displayed a species of tyranny most discreditable to themselves and unworthy of even the greatest rough in ■the Province. They virtually said that, because they did not wish to hear Mr Nogel, no vne else should. 1 would ask these —- (well gentlemen I cannot ca 1 them) whether their conduct was manly ? whether they were carrying out the principles of liberty, which as Britishers we Jay claim to ? and whether, by refusing to allow those who were desirous of hearing Mr Vogel, they were carrying out tiie injunction that we should do to others as we would desire others to do to ns ? it is full time that the citizens should put down with a strong hand such disgraceful proceedings at our public meetings. If they continue to he conducted as that of last night, no man possessed of the least selfrespect will condescend to address a meeting -in UumJdiil. Even our representatives, ni ■ iaddressing their''constituents, have been . treated in a manner which is a disgrace to any civilised community; and unless a change takes place for the better, public • meeting in .Dunedin will shortly bo num--1 bored with things of tho past, and our city . will become notorious for rowdyism. ■■ I am, 4c., Citizen. 9th December, 1870.