A POLITICAL MEETING IN WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 43, 19 February 1878, Page 4

A POLITICAL MEETING IN WELLINGTON.

The meeting held at Wellington on Friday night by Mr Pearce, one of the candidates for the seat in the Assembly rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr Tavers, appears to have had rather a ronidy termination, judging from the following report which appeared in the 1 ost of Saturday :— "Mr Pearce, despairing of restoring quietness, then proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman. Mr Duncan rose to second this, saying he did so with great pleasure, for never had any constituency in the colony a representative of whom they could be more proud than Wellington was of Mr. 1 earce. There was not a man more universally respected. He was desirable in every point except one Here Mr George, who wa^ an the platform, made some remark, which Mr Duncan warmly resented, saying it was s. piece of impertinence, and if he repeated his interruption he (Mr Duncan) would have to say something which Air George would not like, aud it would not be the first time, either. He then continued to say "he had fought the battle of," but nothing further could be heard. He was seen speaking in an apparently loud tone with his buck to the audience, and he frequently thumped t!ie table in an encgetic manner, but not a single sentence could be heard above the din. At ia.st Mr Dmusfield was heard tos:iy that Mr George seconded the resolution first. "Then Pll support it," said Mr Duncan. Ui> continued that so evenly balanced were parties hi the House, that one yote might determine the fate of the present Ministry, and to send in Mr Penrce might be to seal thu death-warrant of the Government Mr .Rowlands here announced that he would bet anyone 5 to 1 that Sir George Grey would go out of office. Mr Duncan ignored the olEer, and went on to say that a crisis would occur, and it was very improbable that the Governor would grant a dissolution. Mr Charles White here shouted out. " Did Sir George Grey tell you that las night ?" Mr Duncan retorted, " I didn't need Sir George to tell me that. Your own common-sense' will tell you that, and if you don't possess it God help you V When the laughter and uproar caused by this had in some measure subsided, Mr Duncan was heard strongly denouncing his Excellency the Governor ns a partizan. This was met with tremendous cries of "No,no;""Sitdown ; " "You're tight;" aud uproar. Mr Duncan repeated his words, saying that all the great centres of population agreed with him. The Chairman, interrupting, said he could not allow such remarks while he occupied the chair. Mr Duncan then addressed himself to the general question, again expressing his persoual admiration for Mr Pearce ; but he thought that in the preseut crisis of the colony some more democratic candidate should be returned Ihechau-mnnthen briefly returned thanks lor the motion (which was put), aud the excited assemblage began to disperse, three

hearty cheers being given for Sir George Suddenly Mr John Martin was pushed on to the stage, and was elected to the now vacant chair. Thero was instantly a stampede indoors. Mr Wallace then stepped forward, but he had not spoken half-a-dozen' words before the gas wa3 turned nearly out.. I his caused another rush to the doors, and a. number of gentlemen ran from the stage and caught the hall-keeper as he was leaving thet meter. They were seen, in the dim light,, violently gesticulating and remonstrating with him, several fists being in pretty close proximity to the devoted servant's head. Mr Mould, the librarian, was at last secured, and it was represented that if the gas wereturned out there would probably be a panic, in which men might be injured, if not killed. Hereplied that the hall must be cleared, as it was; only engaged for Mr Pearce's meeting, and! that was now over. At last Mr Martin and Mr Duncan promised to pay for the gas, and it was again turned on at full pressure. Two: or three more speeches were made, and the Chairman theu left the platform, and the meeting came to a sudden termination. !