OFFENSIVE PARTY TACTICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2952, 22 October 1925, Page 3

OFFENSIVE PARTY TACTICS.

DISGRACEFUL EPISODE AT POLITICAL MEETING. LABOUR SPEAKER ABUSES " PRIVILEGE. Auckland, October, 20. One of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of New Zealand politics occurred at a meeting addressed by Mr. J. S. Dickson, Government candidate for Parnell, last night. The meeting was good humoured throughout, but it was left to a well-known Labour leader, Mr. Tom Bloodworth, to give an example of party bitterness and iltaste at the close which is fortunately rare in this country. Following the moving of an amendment to a motion of thanks and confidence, the audience suddenly rose ,to its feet and jeered and hooted the seconder of the amendment, Mr. Bloodworth. Mr. Bloodworth, ascending the platform, said that he desired to second the amendment. This was to the effect that a vote of thanks be passed to the candidate for his address, but that the word “confienee” be deleted. He spoke with no personal feeling against Mr. Dickson, but said that they had' not gone there that night to hear what Mr. Coates had done or to pass censure or approval on the actions of Sir Janies Parr. He went to hear ivhat Mr. Dickson had done for Parnell, and he was as ignorant as when he arrived. In reference to the Government’s work, he thought it had worked largely in the interests of one section of the public He felt it would be an injustice to themselves to. let Mr. Dickson represent them again. After further reference to the Government’s work Mr. Bloodworth said that it had even been hinted by some Reform supporters that it was just as well Mi’. Massey was removed from the party’s platform to make room for Mr Coates.

What opposition had previously been shown toward- the candidate immediately gave place to an uproar of disapproval at the words of Mr. Bloodworth. Above prolonged stamping of feet and shouting were heard cries of “Cut it out“ and “Shame.” Hoots greeted Mr. Bloodworth every time he advanced to speak, while. Mir. J. B. Paterson (the chairman) shouted, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

Mr. Bloodworth: Mr. Coates His voice was immediately drowned with loud stamping, while the candidate, half rising, was restrained by the chairman. The chairman: I cannot allow a statements like that- to go without challenge. (Cheers). » Mr. Bloodworth: The statement I made was that —; He was again commanded to sit down, while a section “counted him out.” A man rising at the back of the hall, after repeated efforts, obtained silence. “I say the gentleman on the platform has abused the privilege granted to him,” he said (Hear, Hear.) “I request the audito ask him to stand down without saying another word. (Hear, Hear). And I would like to move that he be asked to stand down now.” (Cheers). After pressure from the chairman, Mr. Bloodworth-left the platform amid stony silence, which developed into cheers when the previous speaker declared, “If that is a sample of Labour’s intentions, then I say down with it!”

A show of hands was called for, and a motion expressing thanks and confidence was carried amid applause. With but few dissentients. The “Herald” to-day comments on the incident as follows: —“That the patience of the public with offensive party tactics can be tried overmuch had satisfactory proof in the dramatic conclusion to Mr. Dickson’s meeting. Mr. Bloodworth’s reference to the late Prime Minister was in execrable taste. It was utterly contemptible use of the dead to insult the living. More shameful abuse of the liberty of public speech it is impossible to imagine. - Labour’s cause has come to a sad pass when it produces a vile and reprehensible suggestion that the Government’s supporters take pleasure in Mr. Massey’s death as a means to their party’s advancement. This is a degradation of polities to a despicable level. It is inevitable that in party warfare hard blows should be struck. Even bitterness may be forgiven, but this ghoulish frenzy of speech is unpardonable, and it is more unpardonable because it was wholly unprovoked. It was, moreover, cowardly in the extreme. To make cover of the dead for an assault upon the living is decreditable beyond Avords. Happily the good sense of those who heard the insuling suggestion administered a rebuke that was richly merited. A truly British instinct manifests itself in their ebullition of resentment. Even Mr. Bloodworth must have realised foul play cannot be practised with impunity.' Had that outburst' not diowned him into enforced silence, there would be today a burdening sense of shame throughout the whole community. Instead, there is a, glow of satisfaction that so spontaneously and .completely a breach of fair fighting and good manners was condemned.”

PANDEMONIUM

LADY CANDIDATE HECKLED.

: Auckland, October 21. ■Yelling, shrieking obstructionists niade pandmonium of a meeting addressed last evening by Miss Melville, Government candidate for

Grey Lynn. Several breaches of the code of good taste may be attributed to ignorance and passed over, but the runing fire of interjection and general rowdiness had a sinster meaning, because signs of good humour were almost entirely lacking. An aspect of the matter which must have given a shock to many of the New Zealand-born among the audience was that the leading obstructionists, who included several women, were not New Zealanders, nor residents of even a few years’ standing. There were fiercely partisan Clydebank political economists, men and women from London and the British provinces, with not a vestige of restraint, to say nothing of men with a strong foreign accent. New Zealanders, of course, were among the Labour contingent, but it was very noticeable that their sense of Sportsmanship was finer than that of the leaders of the row. The chairman’s control of the meeting was much too lenient. Only force of character on the part* of the candidate compelled silence when she did receive a hearing. If in the next two weeks the same amount, of latitude is permitted, Government have no opportunity of soberly expounding their principles. A rumble of the coming storm was heard before the chairman had introduced the speaker, among the interjeetors being a woman who shouted “Sentiment.” Miss Melville'quickly picked up this reference to her sex and repeated her statement that she made no apology for being a woman, and asked for no votes merely because she was a woman. She proceeded to analyse the Labour land policy, much to the discomfiture of the Labour supporters,, who shouted, protested, and indulged in ironical laughter. “On £3 17s a week,” was hurled from ■the back when she spoke of there being only two classes in New Zealand, workers and shirkers. “If that is all you are worth I would not tell anyone about it,” came the quick retort. (Applause and uproar.)

When asking where a Labour Government would find revenue for non-profit-making debts a Cockney shouted “From the Capitalists?’ “But there will he no Capitalists.” said the interjector. “There will be no capital,” said Miss Melville. One of the gentlemen at the back received a well-merited knock when the candidate was discussing what would happen under Labour if a person wanted to sell his house. “One reason why you might want to sell,” she said, “would be having that gentleman as a neighbour. It certainly would depreciate its value.” (Loud laughter).

When Miss Melville concluded an address delivered in face of great difficulty there was great applause from her supporters, who were in force, but had allowed the obstructionists to clear field.

Question time was tyjneal of the rest of the evening. Thundering voices tried to make speeches in reply to the candidate’s answers. To one Scotsman she said that she would not be catechised in that tone, and he promptly moderated his voice. A good-humoured man called out “Keep single Miss Melville.” It was a Scot who moved a vote of thanks of no-confidence “owing to the candidate’s lack of economic and political knowledge.”

An amendment of thanks and confidence was declared carried, and while the Scot was loudly claiming the right of reply the Labour force, extremely pleased with their conduct, cheered the Labour candidate and sang “For lie’s a jolly good fellow.”