POSTPONEMENT OF PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2529, 16 June 1909, Page 5

POSTPONEMENT OF PARLIAMENT.

A WELLINGTON PROTEST.

IPi.u Pui:t>B Association.j

WELLINGTON, June 5. The Town Han was racked to the doors to-mght,. when a meeting was held to protest against the postponement of Parliament. The speakers were Messrs Herdman, Fisher and Wright, M.F.’s, Dr. Now man (Alayor. of Wellington), and Air. J. G. W. Aitken, ex-Ai.P. The meeting was. rather rowdy, it being apparent tin, f many hundreds were there for entertainment. A resolution was adopted, pry/testing against the postponement of' .tie session. At the close of the meeting, Air. Aitken suggested that they should march to the Parliament Buildings and make a demonstration. This was taken up in rather a half-hearted fashion. Tim mob that went down was stopped at tho gates, where after a little bother. Air. Fisher advised them to go home. (Special to “Times.”) At half-past nine to-night a great, demonstration was made at the main gates of Parliament grounds as the result of tfcb meeting held in the Town Hall to protest against the prorogation of Parliament. Some seven thousand men marched through the streets to the entrance to Parliament grounds, but tlfe authorities had got word in advance and the gates! were closed. The crowd wero remarkably good humored, but protested loudly against closing Parliament to permit Sir Joseph. Ward to go Home. They surged against the fence and gates with great "force, and the latter would havo been forced in if stout timbers had not been brought to shore them up. The police were powerless, but showed art amount of discretion that was creditable, and thus averted a collision. Alany climbed the fence, and some of these brought Air. Fisher, who addressed the gathering. He said that no more emphatic and dignified protest against the closing of Parliament could lie made. They had done all possible, and be advised them now to quietly disperse. Air. Wright also addressed the assemblage in similar- terms. Theadvice was eventually taken, and the crowd dispersed.