THE WELLINGTON "SPECIALS."

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14830, 22 November 1913, Page 12

THE WELLINGTON "SPECIALS."

PATRIOTIC AND DETERMINED. THEIR MORAL INFLUENCE. The Wellington 'Tost" has tm illuminating news article on the "specials" in that town —the necessity for them, their courage and patriotism, and their immense service to the people. Wo quote the major portion: — There is another and a larger public than that which has veuted its wrath on the special constables in boo-hoos and filthy language. To this public the presence of special constables in the. streets conveys a sense of security which it is difficult to over-estimate. In the early days of the strike, when peaceful picketing was but another name for complete mob rule, when one could scarcely breathe without a "permit" from the Strike Committee, it was impressed upon tho most orderly citizens that if the authorities were unable to protect them and their homes then they must take what measures to do so that they thought best. There was a heavy demand for revolvers, and many a man would point his thumb somewhere in the lumber region to indicate that there was a revolver in his hip pocket—and it was there, too, usually loaded in air chambers. The authorities knew all the time .the sense of insecurity which the citizens were feeling, but their, plans were being perfected all the time, too, and then the farmers came to town, and with them the special foot constables of the city paraded. MORAL INFLUENCE. The value of the moral influence of this auxiliary police..has yet to be ap-

praised at its full value. Tho foot men have been on duty sometimes for fourteen hours at a stretch. ' It is now a well-disciplined and enthusiastic force. The days when this force was forming were very anxious days for the orderly law-abiding citizens, for to them it seemed tbat the dreams of the Red Feds had been materialised. When the terms of the agreement made between the Waterside Workers' Union and shipping companies was announced in the waiting room, nearly two years ago, there was much cheering, and the last cheer of all, called by a Red Federation oificer, was for "the Revolution." The "revolution" seemed within an ace of accomplishment in the first days of the strike. , , Then the horse and footmen paraded. They were called a lot of boys, and worse, by the strikers and their friends, and there were some remarkably fine boys among them, too, boys of seventy, or'thereabouts, boys of fifty, forty, and twenty; but all sitting liko centaurs, and in just that business condition that is the priceless reward of hard work on the station, among the cows and on the bush farm. The foot "epeciate" were generally solidly built men with a lon- reach, and power behind it The spirit that animated the force and animates it still, is one of defence of hearth and home. SELF-RESTRAINT. The strife was ngly when it began, and it might have been worse had not the special constables shown remarkable self-restraint during the early dTys of their service. That restraint they do not now appear to be disposed to show. When they first trooped from the ships to the Barracks they bore without turning the head, the vilest a epithets from men and women—ana they not always actual strikers. To-day tho "specials" are not in the mood to take things lying down. The mob and its constituent parts know it. THE MARCH BACK. This was clearly demonstrated last evening (as on several evenings lately). The mounted men and tne foot 'specials" marched along the waterfront with never a hiss or "boo' from tne onlookers. They proceeded along Jervois quay, and then into Taranaki street, and never a word of abuse, but it was noticeable by the way in which they clutched their batons that the "specials" were quite ready to use them. Going up Taranaki street, a man and a woman were seen on the top or the Prouse, Ltd., building. They were looking at the march back. The man said something, but it was difficult to catch his exact words. Two special constables in the rear rank caught the words, however, and replied. The man, in his safe security auove, made it quite plain £hat he was no friend or admirer of the "specials." Then the rear rank men wheeled round and flourished their batons. They seemed in the mind to jump off their horses and mount the stairs to the roof, but they promised to "deal" with tneir man in the morning. Then they reached the Panama Hotel. There was not a cry of "scab!" not a "boo," but plenty of muttered abuse. A special constable caught a word and wheeled round out of his rank at once. "Yah 1 You're all right when there's a lot of you," said a worker on the kerbttone.

"Well, I'll take you on alone, anyhow," replied the "special," preparing to dismount; but his abuser had vanished in the crowd. TROUBLE "WITH FLOUR. It was at Frederick street, the Chinese quarter, that the first trouble arose. Here a young man driving a dray of flour was rescued from strikers and rowdies. Hβ was starting to unload flour from Timaru. The "specials" soon had tho flour off the vehicle and into the bakehouse, and the rowdies dispersed. A bystander who called the specials "scabs" was next summarily dealt with, being caught and handed over to the regular police.

These were only small incidents in their way, but, combined with/the altered if sullen demeanour of the rougher class of onlookers, they, show that the special constables are now in no mood to be tampered with, nor to put up with the abuse to which for a long time past they have been subjected. If they will not stand epithets they certainly will not stand stones and sticks without giving as good as they get, and that with interest.

There has been a demand from unionists for thoir recall, but there is, or will be if necessary, a very insistent demand from the law-abiding portion of the community for them to remain, and even to be increased in strength 'until the present grisis is over.