NO-LICENSE MEETINGS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10457, 23 October 1911, Page 5

NO-LICENSE MEETINGS

hOWDY AUDIENCES IN ASHBURTON.

By Telegraph — Tress Association

Last Night.

On the last four Saturday nights, No-license advocates have addressed open air meeting® from the railway reserve aibutting Main Street, and right in the centre of the town. They have throughout been received in anything but a cordial manner, and have twice been subjected to very objectionable remarks. A week ago Bpeakers were practically howled down, but this is mild to what happened last night, when between four and five hundred people assembled, many for the purpose of seeing the fun. The first speaker had a moderate hearing,.,' though the younger section of the crowd, to some extent, succeeded in drowning his voice by singing, "We'll roll the old chariotaway." M'hen he concluded he seemingly back stepped too far, and fell from the waggon, which was used as a platform. He then attempted to retire from the meeting, but was prevented. Another speaker (a clergyman) was now addressing the crowd, but he had not gone far when a sympathiser wJio was- wioh him in the waggon, holding a torch, was pulled from behind, and sustained a nasty fall. He turned and closed with Ms assailant, and the crowd excitedly surged after them. The assailant escaped, and the pursuer also reaened a place of greater safety, but the crowd, who were mostly antagonistic, were now excited, and, catching .sight of tho first 'speaker a few yards up the street, made for him, and threw "him over the Courthouse fence."" He escaped, and the crowd began to quieten in the presence c»f several policemen, two .of wJiorai had earlier had to eject and arrest a drunken-' man, who -wan miming obnoxious remarks near the wag- \ gon, largely assisting to this end. The meeting had meantime closed in good-humoured disorder. Even the assaults and chases were good-hiim-ou-red so far as could be seen. The No-license leaders accept the incident in the best spirit, and have not yet decided whether to prosecute the assailants, till© names of some of whom are known to the speakers. The Rev. T. R. B. "Woolox also says he had been threatened with violence I by several people whose names will I be given to the police, but this and last night's scene will not deter the No-license party from continuing their meetings. Ho also expressed the opinion that the opponents of No-license had "primed" a numiber of men, " who made themselves obnoxious, and that they were organising, though the meetings do y:t cotnanence till 8.45 p.m., so as not to interfere with general business, the fruiterers, -confectioners, refreshment ! room keepers, hairdressers, and tobacconists, who remain open, and to do good business till 10 and after, complain that their takings are much affected, as the shops are comparatively deserted in favour of tin? "fun." The '"Guardian," in deploring the outbreaks, calls for greater orderliness and a larger measure of British fair play.