MR ROLLESTON’S MEETING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1490, 8 April 1886, Page 2

MR ROLLESTON’S MEETING.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—My attention, and I vent ire to say that of many others, has been called from time to time to the extraordinary state of things that prevails whenever a public meeting takes place in Temuka, Public lecturers (unless under the protection of a society) and decent dramatic companies, et hoc genus omne, avoid Temuka, for the rowdy character of a portion of its inhabitants is well known. I was certainly surprised, however, to find this rowdyism break forth at Mr Rolleston’s meeting. At election times a certain amount of larrikinism is looked for, and we feel vexed if matters pass off too quietly, but it is not quite the thing when our member has called us together to listen to his views on various subjects, and generally to give an account of hit stewardship, to debar him from doing so. On the evening referred to Mr Rolleston had evidently made his speech as brief aft possible—it could hardly have beon shorter—with the intention of having sufficient time to reply to the various questions that he evidently expected would be put to him. No sooner, however, did Mr Twomey proceed to put some questions of real interest to him than a disgraceful uproar arose, preventing Mr Rolleston from catching the drift of the question, and consequently stopping him from replying, as he evi» dently desired to do. I shall be told that thejuproar was for the purpose of preventing Mr Twomey from speaking, but why should this be? He had as much right to speak as Mr Rolleston, so long as his conduct was not offsiuive, and it was the Chairman’s province to rule if his questions were admissible or not. With regard to the lat’er point there can be no debate, for they were partly replied to. Of the question of tie State Bank Mr Rolleston professed comparative ignorance, whilst with regard to the question of interest Mr Rolleston was evidently in a fog, presumably from not having heard the question aright. I do not want to occupy too much of your space by duelling on this subject but I