THE "FREE AND INDEPENTDENT.”

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2826, 15 April 1882, Page 3

THE "FREE AND INDEPEN TDENT.”

Sir Charles Dilke and Mr J. B. Frith, themembers for the Borough of Chelsea, attended the Vestry Hall, Chelsea, on Jan. 31, to address a meeting of their constituents; The / hall was densely crowded long before the hour appointed fer tile commencement of the proceedings, and the earlier stages of the meeting were conducted under circumstances of the greatest disorder and tumult, which entailed the active interference of the police. After a few remarks from the Chairman which were made amid constant interruptions from a number of anti-coercionists among the audience, a few of whom were forcibly ejected in the course of his address, on the motion of Mr W. A. Smith, seconded by Mr W. Craig-Sellar, the following resolution was then unanimously agreed to “ That this meeting, considering the present conflicting, costly, and generally unsatisfactory condition of London government, learn with- satisfaction the intention of the Administration to introduce a measure electing a directly-elected Municipal Council for the whole of the metropolis, anil urges the Borough members to use every effort to secure the passage of such a measure during the present session.” Sir C. Dilke .then rose to address the meeting, but was constantly interrupted by thO;B.tapoping of feet, and the noise of heated' altercations and vigorous husthng among the. audience. The door leading liitii the hall.had'been'left open, and . considerable interruption, . was contributed by. the'‘crow), which, disappointed in hot gainmg'admiasion, was uncomfortablyand disconsolatelycopped upf in • the corridor.- There was, no obVioiis reason why this turmoil should not have ended as harmlessly as the. earlier disturbances, -but' suddenly the noise and confusion at the hall entraniJe became more loud and turbulent, and at the same instant a number of young Irishmen, armed with sticks, darted /from among the crowd in the corridor, and jumping over the chairs and ;their occupants, made their way to the front of the platform in a few seconds. A scene of the wildest confusion and alarm took place. The dash for the platform was made so suddenly and unexpectedly that little or no resistance had been madU, or indeed, was possible, till the discontents reached the platform. The assailants caught hold of chairs and hurled them down upon the floor,, blows byeticks were freely exchanged between tniem and the occupants of the platform, and it must ,b,e said that although the assailants did not number more than 40 0r,50 they succeeded in causing nothing less tbau a'panic in. the meeting,. While chains were being flung, about and smashed,: and several .. hand-to-hand encounters were taking place in front of tile platform, a vigorous effort was made to ■ secure a : safe retreat for several ladies who occupied seats near the. Chairman. So great was the pressure away from the point of attack that the reporters were driven away from their position by a crowd of men, who jumped evidently panic-stricken, upon the table and many persons left the meeting, in the greatest haste.' After a short and animated melee the sticks got the upper ha'rid, and ’. several of the aggressors gained a footing'On the platform, from which many of its occupants/ including the Chairman, had fled into an adjoining apartment.' Several of the leaders of the band at once ranged themselves in a line in front of the chair, arid started “ God Save Ireland.” The first verse had not been completed when a number of policemen hurried into the,-hall, : and instantly the platform was clearcd of the'intruders, whO : were straightway ejected. ’Although for a time the nfmost panic prevailed among the,,audience, silence arid confidence, was soon pestered, and Sir Charles Dilke then, amid great cheering, resumed his address.. He vindicated the action of Ministers in the Turkish frontier questions, the Tunis difficulty, and in Egypt. Regarding the- French Treaty, negotiations, he said the Government still hoped that there might be some result from the labors of the'Cornmissiou but nothing could induce them to conclude a treaty of a retrograde character. Having alluded/ briefly to Ireland, the hon baronet dwelt upon the necessity of a reform in the procedure of the House of Commons. ;