A NOISY MEETING.

Evening Star, Issue 3357, 22 November 1873, Page 2

A NOISY MEETING.

There was a public meeting at Sydney on Octob r *27, to inaugurate St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College, and, if wo may judge from the tSydnru Morning Herald report, the proceedings must have been unusually noisy. On the piatfoun were rev. doctors, clergymen, and members of the Legislature, who represented one party ; in the body of the hall were Dr Lang, other members of the Legislature, clergymen, and J.P.’s, besides “ a number of.boys armed with sticks,” and “these young gentlemen made themselves very conspicuous by their disorderly conduct.” ISo sooner did a Rev. Mr Kinross appear to propose the first resolution than Ur Lang stepped forward, upon which indescribable uproar, which lasted some minutes, ensued. Ultimately Dr Lang found his way on to the platform and took up a position near Mr Kinross, increased uproar, cheering, and countcr-cbecring resulted ; gentlemen got on chairs and gesticulated at each other; general confusion reigned ; but above the din, as if a combined effort was made, would be occasionally heard cries for “Dr Lang.” Xu vain did the chairman (the Rev. A. Thompson, principal of the College) protest that the proper order was to allow the motion to be seconded and put, when Dr Lang could be heard. The Htrald then attempts to give a “faint idea” of the scene:—

The cheering was followed by cries of “ Hear him !” “ Hear him! support the resolution,” Ac, and the meeting again drifted into a state of confusion. The principal noise appeared to proceed from the boys seated in the front row of chairs, who kept up continued hammering on the floor with large sticks, and a very excited individual, who sprang to his feet and brandished a similar wcajam in a style which apfjeared rather unaccountable. From tirst to ast the gentleman hardly ceased yelling “Dr Lang! Dr Lang!” his utterance, though rather thick and husky, being indicative ot the most vehement emotion. When the Principal’s voice was again heard above the confusion, the Chairman said : If, gentlemen, you will not hear Dr Lang support the resolution, he will have an opportunity of proposing an amendment. But in the first place you must hear the tirst resolution. Cheers and shouts of “ Xo ” and “Yes" followed this deliverance, and the beating of sticks on the floor went on with more than ordinary vigor. Dr Steel stepping to the right of the platform, singled out one of the young ruffians who was leading the row on that side of the house, and the youthful delinquent quailed beneath the stern glance of the doctor. Just as the commotion on this side had thus received a check, the chairnpm addressed the fervid, not to say infuriated gentleman already referred to on his left, who was again on the floor wielding his stick in a way that must have been anything but enjoyable to those in his immediate vicinity. At a safe distance he was an interesting study ; and but for his war cry of “ Dr 1 .ang, Dr Lang,” any of the crowd of spectators who had now come in from the street and blocked up the doorway, might have taken him for the conductor ot a band of Highland pipers beating very quick time to “ Scots vya« hae,” &o.—(Chairman: “ Will you stop, Sir?”) More cheering, thumping, hissing, and Dr. Landing—the man with the stick shouting and gesticulating in a sort of double-quick time to the congenial excitement of the scene. It is dilfcult to conjecture how long the storm of angry passion would have lasted. The leader of the opposition appeared to have no notion of obeying the renewed behest of the Chairman—“ Will you sit down, sir ?” and at this juncture Mr J. H. Goodlet jumped from the platform and “ collared” the offender, whose defiant attitude and boisterous behaviour had signalled him out specially for attack. Other persons hastily left the hall, apparently in pursuit of the police; but as they did hot put in an appearance, the preway be fairly tkawo they M

heard the tumult at the station-house over the yrty, a quarter of an hour before, anil, having discreetly withdrawn to a convenient distance, escaped the necessity of assisting at the inauguration of St. Andrew’s College within the University of Sydney. Mr Goodlet appeared t> >he making pretty fair progress with the ejection of the disorderly individual, when Mr Neill, of the City Bank, came to the rescue, and prevented any further advance towards the door. A free fight appeared imminent; about twenty or thirty gentlemen joined in the scuffle, and hid the combatants, if the contest arrived at that stage, from view of the reporters at the table. Some young ladies were rushing about in astute of most interesting perturbation, while the young gentlemen with the sticks crossed and re-crossed the platform in a rather tragic manner at will. The disturbance need not bo further particularised ; but it may bo proper to mention that the feelings of the great majority of the spectators appeared to be deeply wounded, as their notions of propriety were certainly outraged by the unseemly exhibition. _ The enthusiastic and, possibly, the self-constituted champion of “The Doctor,” came out of the struggle with an aspect more nearly approaching sobriety than before, and ho was suffered to subside. At length the general uproar grew less, and the calls for “(’hair,” and “Go on with the business," began to prevail. Chairman : Will you take your <eats, ladies and gentlemen ? The disorder continued. Chairman : Will you take your seats? Cries of “ Chair, ’chair,” and confusion, (^airmail: Will you take your seats? . The platform was cleared of the boys, but disorder continued. Chairman : Will you sit down, if you please? - (Continued uproar.) The time is passing, ladies and gentlemen. Will you take your seats, if you please? -((Ties of “No.”) I hope that all the friends of order will support order, —(cheers) -and that any attempt to introduce confusion ami uproar only for purposes of mischief—(hoar, hear)-will he vigorously hin dered. I have already decided on the line of order, and that line, ladies and gentlemen, will he followed.--(Cheers.) We shall have great pleasure in hearing Dr Lang at the proper time.—(Cries of “No” and “Yes.”) And now I hare again to call upon Mr Kinross to move the first resolution.—(Protracted applause, and a few cries of “No.”) I>r Lang: Mr Chairman Lev. J. Kinross; Mr Chairman (Confusion.) Dr Lang; Mr Chairman, I have no desire to - (Continued uproar.) Dr Lang : I merely appear here to show that this illegal (Great disorder continued for some minutes.) Amidst innumerable interruptions, Mt Kinross then read his resobmon, which affirmed that the meeting viewed with satisfaction the establishment of St Andrew’s College, which was seconded by the Hon S. D. Gordon, who said “all the thoughts he had in his head had been completely knocked out of it by the disgraceful scene lie had witnessed.” Then Dr Lang spoke, and he appears to have been very patiently listened to. He protested against the whole proceedings, on the ground of their illegality, and then with his supporters left the room. The rest of the proceedings were tolerably orderly ; but, on tbe whole, tho Herald call* it the most disorderly meeting held in Sydney for yean past.