WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1913 FOR LAW AND ORDER.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14833, 26 November 1913, Page 8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1913 FOR LAW AND ORDER.

Colonel Chaffey and the public-spirited men associated with him arc to bo heartily congratulated on the admirable manner in which tho arrangements for ensuring tho preservation of law and order wero carried out yesterday. Very properly, nothing was left to chance, and tho very completeness of tho preparations and tho smoothness with which they wero carried our, ensured their success. Had an insufficient force been sent down, or had it been badly handled, trouble would havo been invited, and trouble, it is practically certain, would havo ensued. The majority of the waterside workers in Lyttclton, indeed, now hate the strike, and would have endeavoured to keep free from any disorder. But there are some who are ready to use violence so long as they can do so with comparative safety to themselves, has already been shown in Lyttelton itself by the forcible attempts made to prevent the working of the shipping. In addition', there is in Lyttelton, as in other seaports, a lawless element averse to work and ready to seize any occasion of tumult to pve vent to their anti-social instincts. It is a small element in Lyttelton, compared with that which is to be found in other places, but it exists. It wns a wise precaution, therefore, that tho force sent down to protect tho interests of the community was so largo and so well-handled that even the most lawlessly disposed recognised that any attempt to break the peace would be firmly and promptly repressed. There are indications that the reroltitionaries and their sympathisers will now try to ridicule the precautions taken and mnke out that these were | unnecessary. Those . who recollect what has taken place in Auckland and "Wellington will know exactly what value to attach to this attempt to hide tho discomfiture of the Red Feds. We go further, and say that the good sense of the community will strongly resent any attempt to throw ridicule on the splendid body of men who have come forward, at considerable self-sacri-fice, in this emergency not only to protect the peaceable members of tho community in tho enjoyment of, their •rights and liberty, but to preserve the/ good name of the people of CJanterbury as law-abiding, citizens. ■• A time will yet come- when even the misguided strikers will feel that. these special constables have been - their truest friends. At present it may # be difficult for them to realise this fact, but it is absolutely tr.ue, and when they have leisure for calm reflection they will see that.it is true. Suppose that the Federation of Labour had been permitted to carry oiit their wicked, malicious, and absolutely insane designs, would not ail decent working fiien and' women with their families have been X|;he Chief 7 sufferers? Would they riot hove- beeri the first to feel the pinch of privation, and irt what way tiottld they have, btieft benefited by the reign; of violence and disorder which was bound to foll6W? ; On the West Coast the lied Feds, at present seem to hate it pretty mufeh their own way, and what is the result? Borne of the people have been reduced to the verge of starvation* .an attempt has been made td'destroy the machinery at one of the and the xeroltitionaries have been So far successful in calling out the nl6n that it will be many weeks before the BrUnne'r inirid can be worked again, even if the men who have come tint Wish td drtd the management are willing to take them. One word in conclusion. The niagnificeilt: force of Special constables who have betiii enrolled have but one object in view. I* is td prevent crime, and to protect peaceable citizens. They are iiot trying to make any man work or do anything else against his will. They are simply charged with the .duty of protecting from annoyance and intimidation men who are willing to work/ and who have every fight, legal and moral, to work iiV peace arid qiuetness; The plain truth is that if these patriotic; law-abiding citizens had not taken upon themselves this dtlty New Zealand.would have been in pretty much the same condition as Mexico, where law and order are set at defiance, and robbery and rtipino are let loose. They have earned the gratitude of ©very honest citizen, and once more we musi congratulate, hot only Colonal Chaffey and his gallant men, but the regtllar police and tho iiuthorities generally on the splendid manner in which law and order have been vindicated with tho least possible friction.