ROWDY SUNDAY NIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 261, 27 March 1913, Page 3

ROWDY SUNDAY NIGHT.

f AXTI-MJLITARi ST MA.VriLWT. ' IIOWLIXCr MOT! .MA K !•;;•; .S'j'KKET A JJEDLAM. CiirirfLehun-li, March 24. hi the King's Theatre last night a public meeting was held to urge the repeal of tlio compulsory clauses of the JMenee Act. There was a small detachment oi Territorials present. ami the proceediiigs were at times noisy, bin the interruptions were mostly made by the large numbers of anti-militarists and passive resisters present. The speakers included .Messrs [\ C. Y\Vob, J. A. McCullough, Ji. Seiiiple, and E. J. Howard.

A motion was proposed protesting against the compulsory clauses of the Act and demanding their repeal, and thi" cessation of the persecution of youths for non-compliance with the requirement's of the Act.

An amendment \vas moved hv Air. W. K. J. Alagnire to the effect that a citizens' protective force is preferable to a standing army. The amendment, when put to the meeting, was negatived, and the motion was agreed to. Some of the Territorials, when the result of the vote was announced, stood up and sang "God Save the King." After the meeting there was a demonstration against Mr. Maguire, who attempted to make a speech outside the theatre, but could not get a hearing. A crowd, largely composed of youths, a number of small boys, and a few women, followed Mr. Maguire from the theatre along several streets to Smith's garage. Mr. Maguire went into the garage, and the crowd, which had been indulging in cries of "\Ye want Mac.." kept up this demand for a considerable period, varying it with hoots and cheers. Now and then, when the idea got abroad that Air. Maguire was coming' out, howls were sent up. Two constables who accompanied Mr. Maguire from the theatre ultimately pot him away in a taxi-cab unknown to the crowd, which continued for some time afterwards their cries of "We want Mac." For nearly an hour after the meeting, the street in the vicinity of the garage was disturbed by the cries and cheers and hoots of the crowd. The proceedings after the meeting were most unseemly for a Sunday even" ing, and it was after .11 o'clock before the street was quiet. A prominent passive resister who was arrested on Saturday night for non-pay-ment of a fine, spent a portion of Yesterday in the cells. Then he paid liis fine and was discharged. lie told the subinspector that he had been in gaol foT* the same sort of thing before, and "had had enough of it."