“Nice and Gently”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 498, 30 October 1928, Page 14

“Nice and Gently”

MR. COATES SOOTHES HECKLERS KINDERGARTEN COURSE “Give us your policy!” The well-worn phrase was shouted at the Prime Minister, Mr. J. G. Coates, before he had spoken for two minutes to his giant—and in parts restive — audience in the Town Hall. “Well, I just want to keep you guessing for a while,” said Mr. Coates.

“You see,” he continued confidentially, “some people understand very little plain English. I want to work you up in kindergarten fashion, so I am leading you nice and gently through the local questions.”

The magic name of the Reform leader had proved a powerful magnet, and at a very early hour it was amply evident that late arrivals would hear Mr. Coates’s address only by courtesy of the man who controlled the loud speakers erected on the outside of the building. At half-past seven practically every seat was taken, including many rows of extra chairs on the stage and in the body of the hall. Holders of tickets were admitted by the door opening on Grey Avenue, and after they had taken their places less than a third of the seats remained. It was a poor look-out for the expectant citizens who stood in Queen Street, their queue—four deep in places—extending from the main door of the Town Hall to the junction of Queen Street and Grey Avenue. The big gathering of non-ticket-holders waited innocently, their numbers increasing every minute, while their more fortunate fellows slipped in by the back door. Inside, the large audience had settled down for its half-hour wait, and was enjoying several organ solos played by Mr. Maughan Barnett. Then the main doors were opened, and the vanguard of the big Queen Street crowd came in with a rush, quickly filling the remaining seats. Only a small percentage could be admitted, and as the doors closed the queue broke, and a cheerfully excited mob struggled with futile zest.

Fortunately, the loud speaker man did his job well, and the voice of Mr. Coates floated into Queen Street and Grey's Avenue with vigorous clarity. A triumphant blast on the organ announced the arrival of the Prime Minister and his party, the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildqn, paying the usual courtesies to the accompaniment of yells, hoots, and interruptions from the “gallery” and “pit.” Cheers greeted Mr. Coates when he rose to speak, but these were tinged with a noisy demonstration, and for some time the speaker was obliged to force his address through a persistent barrage of interjections. “Kick him out!” vied with “Go for your life, boy!” and “Don’t take your coat off, Gordon” (sarcastically). “Listen to me for, say, an hour and a-half, and you’ll leave as fit as a fiddle,” said Mr. Coates. Then he met every vocal onslaught with cheerful equanimity, and gradually reduced his audience to silence. But it was no light task.