"YOU ARE A LIAR!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 249, 20 April 1912, Page 8

"YOU ARE A LIAR!"

H'EOKLINO A MAYOR. A ROWDY MEETING. Auckland, April 17. The Mayor encountered, in his address to timber workers at Goldie's mill this morning, considerable opposition from a section who were not timber workers, but were known as belonging I to the revolutionary section which is opposing CSIr. Parr very bitterly in this contest. The -Mayor liiul proceeded for about twenty minutes in his address, and was giving .his version of the industrial issues before the community, apparently with some effect, when lie was rudely interrupted by this disturbing section, who insisted that Mr. .Parr should at once stop his address in order that they might question him. \Mr. Parr: Gentlemen, surely you will give me a quarter of an hour in which to finish my speech, after which tlrre will (lie ten minutes for questions, which I shall he pleased to answer! The interruptions still continued, Hatwithstanding the efforts of Mr. Saunders, a member of the timber workers, who was in the chair, to restore order. The •Mayor, however, continued, amidst a fire I of abusive interruptions. I "I want to have my say," called one man. "The Mayor has had enough J time," declared another, ■Mr. Parr had to cease for quite five minutes while the leader of the interrupting party denounced the Mayor and members of the City Council in unmeasured terms. There was an orderly section of workers who protested and demanded a fair i hearing for the Mayor, but they were : out-voiced by the noisy element. An ! appeal from some of those present for j order drew from the chairman a remarkthat ''Apparently the only way to keep order in such a mob was with a gun!" | Despite further interruption, Mr. Parr ' steadfastly stood it out and finished his address, after which he announced that he was prepared (o answer questions. At least a dozen of the disturbing dement 1 jumped forward,and the Mayor gave pre-i ferencc to the person who was apparently the leader, armed with a notebook, from which he proceeded to quote. I He first asked: "Didn't you alter the whole of Midgley Taylor's scheme that r you paid £ISOO for?" j "No, sir," replied the Mayor. . ".But I know you did!" he shouted. Further questions were asked and answered, the questioner declining to accept the Mayor's reply in each case. By this time the man had got down from his Heat on a timber stock and had surrounded the Mayor with his mates. "Now," said he, using an objectionable epithet, "Answer me this: "Didn't you on (he Ist inst. float city loans and get | personal brokerage?" "That is quite untrue!" indignantly replied the Mayor. "The loans are not floated, and the statement about brokerage is a lying invention. You have evidently come here to insult me!" The man now advanced to the Mayor, shaking his fist, and said, "But I know you did! You made 'brokerage for yourself out of the loans, and I know it!" "There is only one reply for you, my friend," said the Mayor quietly, "and I ■ give it to you before all your mates, i You are a liar!" "Oh, am I?" said the man. "Thank you!" "Well, you got that straight enough, anyway," was the unsympathetic observation of a timber worker in the audience. The meeting was then brought to a termination, three cheers being given for the .Mayor and three for his opponent The rowdy section followed Mr. Parr out of the yards, the questioner aforesaid being prominent in hurling abuse at the chief magistrate as he departed.