Mr FIL Intervences.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1922, Page 1

Mr FIL Intervences.

SCENE AT LECTURE.

(Lyttelton Times.)

An unfortunate “scene” occurred at the conclusion of Dr Teichelmann’L lecture on “A Tour Through Westland,” which he delivered at the Chamber of Commerce Hall on Wednesday evening. Mr H. Holland, who presided, said that he had received a request from Mr H. G. Eli for permission tq move a resolution at the meeting. He thought, however, that the resolution should not be moved. The Canterbury' Progress League was desirous of maintaining harmonious relations with the South Westland Progress League, and it was not desirable that any resolutions should he carried. Moreover the meeting was not of a public nature, but was merely a lecture, and while he believed all would have sympathy with M.r Ell’s .resolution, ho considered Mr Ell would be well-advised to move it at another meeting. MJy itill saifl fye preferred, to move ttye* resolution, af. tfiat meeting. It wqs a ' publiq,' meeting, and hi,s resolution merely asleep that %?. Goyeyumgnt should preserve the scenery on the 'West Coast for the people who would ; come after. Mr Holland: I cannot accept it. ; Ell: Ido not think any business . man in Christchurch could decline to accept my resolution.

Mr Holland: \VeR, I will decide to accept it. Mr Ell: I intend to move my resolution before I sit dovyn. I have a right to. da it. . AR Holland: You have no right to do it. Aj r £]): I have a perfect right and you pan,’t stop, me, X ou 9f m ’ t turn this a ’ Eiw es & ea SY,9 meeting. This is, a pplplic meeting. At this stage the audience bpgan to take & hand in the matter, and Ell was repeatedly asked to sit down, but declined to do so. The meeting was rapidly de VG I°P^ n S into a scene of isorder, when a member of the audience said that they must uphold law and order. He had sympathy with Air Ell’s resolution, but be felt that chairman s ruling must be upheld. Dr Farr then attempted to bring the meeting to a close by moving a vote of thanks to Dr Teiehelmann. This was Carried with great enthusiasm, and the public commenced to make for the doom. Not dismayed, Mr Ell made a further attempt to move his motion. “I wish to move,” he commenced. “that this L meeting requests tbe ■‘•-fit down,” cried a number of voices.

Mr Ell, however, continued shouting at the top of his voice:— “ requests tlie Government of New Zealand (voices: “Go away”)— to use every means in its power ”• Yhe rest of his remarks were inaudible owing to

tbe noise. “Will anyone second that?” shouted Air Ell.

“No!” came a chorus from the audience, who were then streaming out of the building. Air Ell repeated his question, but with the same result. “It is a case of the sawmillers versus scenery preservation,” he veiled to the dwindling audience, but even this did not bring him any support. The last of the audience were then leaving the building, and they were joined by Mr Ell, who was still making statements about sawmillers and scenery preservation. AIR ELL’S STATEMENT.

Air Ell, subsequent to. the meeting, stated to a “Lyttelton Times” reporter that his resolution was seconded, and there was a considerable body of tbe audience with him. “They could not understand why my resolution wa v s not accepted, and saw no reason or justification for the chairman’s action in refusing it,” added Air Ell. He had written to Mr Holland, as chairman of the meeting, giving him the contents of the resolution and asking if he could

move it. “It was a most extraordinary proceeding for the chairman of a public meeting to refuse to accept a motion in support of tbe very sentiments for which the meeting wa s held to express,” said Mr Ell. “Air Hplland described the West Coast as a Garden of Eden, and all that my resolution asked was that thp Government should be asked to preserve tbe

Garden of Eden. The chairman was entirely out of order and acted contrary to “the rules of a public meeting I have been agitating for years past for tbe preservation of that scenery and I attended that meeting principally to deliver another blow at the despoilers. I am trying to protect it and I know that there are strong interests at work for the destruction of thsyt scenery. The people of 'Christchurch will have to put up a big fight if they are to save the beautiful scenery of ehe West Coast, because the material and comemrcial interests of tbe West Coast are out to destroy the beautiful bush shown in Dr Teichelmann’s picture. Air Ell added further that he had Tip intention of letting the matter rest where it was. The bush of the West Coast also belonged to tbe people of Canterbury. AIR HOLLAND’S POSITION. Mr Holland stated that he had refused Air Eell’s resolution because he would have regarded it as effrontery for the people of Christchurch to dictate to the people of Westland as to, what should be done in tbe matter