FOUR-SIDED CONTEST

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 510, 13 November 1928, Page 8

FOUR-SIDED CONTEST

MR. J. B. DONALD’S MEETING LIVELY QUESTION-TIME Two hecklers, the chairman, and the candidate shared the attention of a large audience in St. Sepulchre’s Hall, Khyber Pass Road, last evening. To begin with, the meeting was a quietly enthusiastic one but, at question time, it developed into an allround entertainment. The candidate was Mr. J. B. Donald, United’s man for Auckland East. The chairman was Dr. W. H. Horton, who played his part by giving an opening address lasting 25 minutes. The hecklers represented Reform and Labour and were jovially antagonistic to both the candidate and each other. Observing that, in his opinion, politics should be kept “out of the mud,”

Mr. Donald referred toi a Labour pamphlet which said that he and Sir Joseph Ward did not agree on the subject of the Bible in schools. He wanted to say that he and the leader were as one.

A Voice: You are not. Don’t you know where your leader stands? Mr. Donald said he thought his statement was right. He felt the same about the Prohibition question —it was one to be decided by the will of the people.

He had received about 15 letters asking him to make a signed statement of his position, but he did not think that any man should be asked to give that. Civil servants, said Mr. Donald, were not entirely satisfied. He believed that their salaries should be fixed by a tribunal. A salary of 15s a day was hardly enough for the police force. They should receive the best possible treatment. Mr. Donald’s reading of an article from “The Watchman” did not meet with the approval of one or two of his audience. “Take it as read,” said one. “Cut it out —Coates is my man.” called another.

The Chairman: If you don’t like it. get out. (Applause.) At question time a Labour supporter who had been responsible for much of the heckling, rose to put a number of questions. “Write them,” said the chairman.

Stating that he was not a clerk, the questioner refused. Then he accepted the chairman’s challenge and mounted the platform, where he made a little siieech and asked if the candidate was in favour of Bible in schools all over the Empire. “What’s that to do with me?” asked Mr. Donald.

Labour’s champion retired and a Reform supporter rose to his feet to ask “about Newmarket.”

Mr. Donald said he had made a statement at Newmarket about his benefactions, but he did not wish to boast them. In confidence, however, he would say that he had given away close on £25,000 since 1914.

This prompted the Labour champion to rise and denounce the Reform interjector and a wordy battle ensued, punctuated by laughter and applause from the audience and cries of: “It was a rotten interjection, Jim Donald,” from the Labour man.

Finally the chairman Secured silence and a vote of thank;; and confidence in Mr. Donald, together with a motion of congratulation for his clean fight, was passed with three dissenting voices.