WARM RECEPTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 505, 7 November 1928, Page 10

WARM RECEPTION

MR. COATES HECKLED AT WANGANUI 1 FIRST EGG OF CAMPAIGN Press Association WANGANUI, To-day. Three years ago the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, as Prime Minister, made a triumphant tour along the West Coast. To-day there was a marked contrast. He has been heckled very much wherever be has been. Wanganui has been no exception. Fortunately, Mr. Coates was able to take everything in good part. Last night he faced a barrage all night from a largo number in the back of the hall. The audience was much mixed. In the middle of the speech, cheers were given for Sir Josepn Ward, and once Mr. Coates was counted out. Despite a running fire of >nteejections he good-humouredly finished his speech, which lasted over two hours. On one occasion an egg was thrown. The missile was badly aimed, and falling short of the stage, narrowly missed a pressman. __ "You wait till the 14th, said the interjector. "Don’t worry about that, replied Mr. Coates. "Gordon Coates and his crew will be still sailing the ship.” "What was that?” inquired the Prime Minister when the egg was thrown, and then went on with his speech. Nobody was going to tell him that an elector of Wanganui had been so impolite as to throw an egg. His good temper in replying to the interjections made a most favourable impression, as did his ability to score off the interjectors. Mr. Coates spoke on the lines or other recent speeches, no new matter being introduced, excepting that he said that insofar as the dispute hetveen he and Mr. Masters (chairman of the United Party) was concerned, he was absolutely in the right and Mr. Masters absolutely wrong. At the conclusion of the address, a vote of thanks and confidence was moved, to which there was an amendment that it be one of thanks only. There was a fine effort on the part of the noisy minority to shout the majority down, but a show of hands proved the Prime Minister to have won by four to one. There was loud cheering at the mention of the name of Mr. N. J. Lewis, the Reform candidate, whom Mr. Coates warmly advised the electors to return to Parliament. An opposition candidate, Mr. W. J. Rogers, Labour Mayor of Wanganui, presided.