8 August 1935

HECTIC ELECTION CAMPAIGN THAT FAILED

Shillelaghs Played Part In Spirited Contest Of 1855

Present day election campaigns are comparatively colorless and the elections themselves, as a result of the introduction of voting by ballot, are tame affairs.

It was not so, however, in 1855, when South Australia was beginning to realise its own importance, and was asking for responsible Government in place of the representative system under which some members of Parliament were elected by the people and the remainder nominated by the Governor. 

For the West Adelaide seat at that election, the sitting member, Mr. J. Hurtle Fisher, was opposed by the editor of the 'Register,' Mr. Anthony Forster, and each conducted a strenuous campaign. 

The system, of voting in those days was 'open' — a man declared for whom he wished to vote, and it was possible for voting to be influenced by intimidation or bribery. 

The election opened on a Wednesday in front of the Blenheim Hotel, in Hindley street, which was the polling place. Shortly after midday the candidates appeared on the balcony of the hotel, ready to make their speeches to the large crowd gathered below. As the parties could not agree among themselves which candidate should speak first, lots were drawn. It was a definite advantage to have the last word in such circumstances. 

The returning officer read a writ authorising the election, and after some delay, Mr. Fisher's party began the proceedings. In the front of the crowd, for propaganda purposes, was 'a vast concourse of boys with blue glazed calico flags and Fisher's favors.' The crowd noisy, 'as if all the flibbertigibbets in Adelaide had assembled with the view to interrupting all business with clamor, and drown any attempt to address reasonable remarks to the electors by senseless outcry and ribald interruptions' as the 'Register' stated in describing the election. 

It is interesting to note the topics which were discussed in those days. Fisher wanted a water supply for Adelaide before the building of the Adelaide to Gawler railway, and wished to have St. Peter's Cathedral erected In Victoria square. Forster, of course, was definitely opposed to both those proposals. Fisher favored one house of Parliament, Forster two. Fisher's chief political crime seems to have been that he voted with the Government nominees, whom the people opposed on principle. 

Neither candidate was given what might be termed a good hearing, and both were severely heckled. Mr. Fisher's rhetorical questions often brought trouble upon him, as a section of the crowd was hostile, and when he said, 'I do not want you to elect me, if you can get anyone better,' he was told that the opposition could, and he need not worry about that. 

A placard addressed to the many Irishmen who were supporting Fisher, was noticed on the verandah of Hilton & Edlin's printing office. Stones from the street made the boys, who had been sent on to the verandah with it, retreat. Fisher, who was making his speech at the time, continued amid heckling. 

While Forster was speaking Fisher's friends brought a placard in front of the hustings bearing the title 'Forster's Principles,' surmounted by a pick and shovel.  A heavy shower of stones was directed at it, and this placard, too, was hastily withdrawn. 

Later during Forster's speech a much more serious incident took place. Dennis O'Leary, on a balcony, 'roared himself hoarse,' urging his countrymen below to attack Forster's contingent. Most of them were armed with shillelaghs, and they charged the crowd with a will. 

O'Leary, as the 'Register' naively remarked, while urging his followers to 'acts of violence and bloodshed,' took care to remain on the balcony out of harm's way.' 

After the riot had subsided, the returning-officer asked for the usual show of hands, and there was a large majority for Forster. Fisher, therefore, demanded a poll, and the election was fixed for the next day. 

Voting opened at the Blenheim next day with great spirit, but the arrangements were inadequate, and Fisher's Irishmen seemed bent on causing trouble. The room at the hotel In which the polling was to take place was occupied by them, and they brandished their shillelaghs in such a business-like fashion that many of Forster's supporters were intimidated from voting. 

Later, finding that despite their efforts, Forster was keeping the lead he had gained in the first hour, they became violent and assailed and ill-treated voters. A strong body of police were close at hand, but frequent, appeals to the Inspector in charge were without effect. 

The Commissioner of Police was then communicated with, but he said he would take no action until a riot occurred. He even refused to approach the door of the polling booth, though he was told that his presence there might have the effect of sobering the Irishmen within. 

Forster won the election, nevertheless, by 740 votes to 604, and there was great jubilation among his supporters when they found that they had been successful, despite the forceful tactics of Fisher's party. The majority was announced by Forster's committee from the balcony of the Exchange Hotel, where the committee had a room. Forster congratulated his supporters on the success of their efforts, and promised to thank them more fully when the declaration of the poll took place. 

A number of 'riotous persons' were on the Blenheim balcony and yelled defiance. Two flags belonging to Forster's committee were torn to shreds 'with almost savage ferocity.' The rioters then charged the crowd, included in which was a large number of women and children. They drove Forster's friends from the balcony of the Exchange with stones, and stormed the hotel. People scrambled out of the windows to escape from the shillelaghs of the rioters, and a number prepared to defend themselves on the roof. 

As 'The Register' put it: 'A riot sufficient to satisfy the Police Commissioner was now at its height, and he led his men through the street, scattering the rioters who were not engaged in violence within.' Among those arrested was Michael Mulrooney, who had been arrested for making a disturbance on the previous day, and had been released on bail at 3 o'clock that day. By 5.30 he had been arrested again for disturbing the peace. The Irishmen received scant sympathy. 

'The Register' said:— 'It is painful to think that men who have had heretofore cause to complain of political coercion, should, themselves, in a land where all may vote freely, attempt by brute force to subvert freedom of election.' In a leading article the next day, 'The Register' paid a left-handed compliment to the police force when it asked: 'What are the proper functions of the police in case of riots? Is it their business to preserve order or merely to restore it when broken?' 

There was no doubt about the effectiveness of the police in breaking up the riot, the article continued, but must a riot occur before the police take any action? Lively elections were expected in those days, for 'The Register' stated: —'At an election a little extra licence is always allowed; it is a kind of saturnalia when the liberty of the individuals is relieved from a little of that restraint which the laws impose.' Nowadays, everyone is made to vote, and few are at all keen about it.— C.V.H.

An Angry Kangaroo 

Ted and Joe, two well known local woodcutters, went out towards Humbug Scrub for a load of wood. They had with them a small fox terrier dog. The wood had already been cut into lengths and placed in heaps in convenient places for loading. Having loaded the wood from the first heap on to the trolly, Joe started to go over to the next heap. 

As he approached it he noticed a very large old man kangaroo a short distance from the heap. Thinking that as he came nearer the animal would make off into the scrub, he was very much surprised that it remained in the same position. The kangaroo seemed to have no intention of clearing out, go Joe picked up a stone and threw it at him. 

To Joe's dismay instead of running away the animal came straight for him. Joe turned and fled towards the trolly which was some distance back. Ted, seeing his mate being chased by the kangaroo stopped his team and, taking hold of one of the side sticks of the trolly, jumped off and went to his assistance. 

There was a smile on Ted's face as he ran round behind the kangaroo, which was still in hot pursuit of his mate. He would soon settle him. When he got up close enough he aimed a blow at the animal which would have killed an ox, but the stick flew out of his hand and left him defenceless. 

The kangaroo then turned and came at him. The smile on Ted's face disappeared. He could not regain the trolly as the animal was in between. Seeing a tree a short distance away, he made towards it in hot haste, with the kangaroo close behind. He got there first, however, and climbed to a safe place. The animal sat on its tail underneath the tree and waited. 

But Ted was busy thinking. He looked over to the trolly and saw his mate perched up on its high seat. But where was the dog? Gone after a rabbit; but Ted decided he would call him and set him on to the enemy at the foot of the tree. 

The dog, on hearing the call of his master, was soon on the scene. On seeing the kangaroo he, being a very brave dog, flew at him like a flash of lightning. But the kangaroo had seen dogs before and knew just what to do. He gave the little chap a blow which for the time at least, made him feel dizzy.

The little dog went away and lay down for a short space of time. Ted looked at the dog, and decided that if he could get it to go at the kangaroo again and hold its attention until he slid down from, the tree and regained his stick, he could go to the help of his dog. 

So after the dog had had a rest, he called him over and urged him to have another try at the kangaroo. The little dog was much smarter this time at getting out of reach of the kangaroo. If he had been a more formidable foe the old kangaroo would probably have backed against the tree, and kept the dog in front of him. But as the dog was so small he took on the attack and chased him.

This gave Ted his chance, and he was not long in taking advantage of it. Small as the dog was, he gave the kangaroo a good deal to think about, and, although there were times when he ran away, there were other occasions when he was snapping all round the kangaroo. 

Ted had regained his side stick, and Joe jumped from the trolly with another stick in his hand. These two men got up close, one on each side of the kangaroo, which was too busy with the dog to take much notice of them. 

A heavy blow from the stick in Ted's hand laid him out and one or two more blows finished him altogether. Why this old kangaroo should have been so anxious to stir up strife when he could have retired into the scrub unmolested, will forever remain a mystery, but evidently he thought he had more right there than anyone else. — A.C.,  Houghton. 

Keeping His Hat Dry 

Some years ago in Adelaide there was an elderly doctor who was not too well off, and a guinea top hat was a luxury he could ill afford. 

Being called into consultation one day with several leading members of the medical profession, he thought it a proper occasion on which to wear his new top hat. 

When he started, the weather was fine, but the consultation lasted longer than he had reckoned on, and when it was over rain was falling heavily. This was a matter of indifference to the other doctors, for they had their carriages, but as none of them was going his way a lift home was unlikely. 

Making an excuse therefore for leaving before the others, he went into the hall and, choosing an old top hat belonging to a brother doctor, who was rich, he left his own new one in its place. 

Putting the old hat on he walked home in the rain. The other doctor put on the new hat, and entering his carriage went home dry. Next morning the old doctor sent his maid to his friend's house with the old hat and a note apologising for having taken the wrong hat, and asking that his own hat might be given to the bearer, which was done. — F.G.

What's In A Name?

A mistake which appeared in a local newspaper a few years ago, caused much amusement in a northern town in South Australia. 

The secretary of a football club had organised a ball, for which he had engaged a dance orchestra, known as the 'Red-Hot Rhythm Boys.' Being rather hazy as to their correct title, he described them on his notices and in the copy for his press advertisement as the 'Hot-Shot Rhythm Boys.' The amusement in the town can be imagined when next day the paper advertised to all and sundry that the 'Half-Shot Rhythm Boys' would be in attendance at the ball, and patrons could be assured that they would live up to their name! — A.L.B.