FIRST ENCOUNTER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1893, 30 October 1913, Page 8

FIRST ENCOUNTER.

MOUNTED MEN AND THE STRIKERS. NIGHT ENGAGEMENT. Matters wore quiet in the Post Office Squaro during the evening, and the crowd gradually commenced to thin down. About twenty minutes to ton a report was circulated to the effect that 150 mounted men had ridden through Khandallah hound for the City. Pickets immediately made off on evdes in that direction to verify tho nfo-jaation. Later, wlicn the crowd

had dwindled to very small proportions, word came back to llio effcut that some 36 horsemen had entered the City, and that between 70 and 80 others were resting in tho liniwarra (Jorge. A picket, 011 foot, then collected ten men and went to meet the newcomers, who were suspected of 'being free laboureis. At twenty-live minutes p'isi eleven o'clock, half a doze.i pickets cycled into the Square with the intelligence that the remainder of tho mounted men were moving towards tho City, and one or two went off to rouse rheir comrades from bed. Meanwhile the ten men, who had gone 011 foot to meet the mounted men, came upon a party, fcn tile reclaimed land near the new Post and Telegraph Store, and a "brush" took place. The watcrsiders however "discovered at once that they were outnumbered, aiid in consequence retired, but not before 0110 of their men had been knocked over. The mounted men then proceeded 011 to the Post and Telegraph •Store, and the watersidors returned to the Square, where they reported "an important capture " —a baton. It was stated that this was "tho very baton" with which their man had been knocked down, and tlmt it would be exhibited in the Square to-day. By this time some of the watcrsiders, who had been roused from bed, increased the number in tho Square, and about thirty men stood in front of the nijiin gates of the wharf. The men ha 3 now got the idea that free Taoourers from tho country were about to be brought 011 to the wharf, and they ar-, nounced their intention of offering every resistance. Captain Munro, who was then present, was questioned.by one or two of the crowd as to .'whether free labourers were coming on. His reply was that he knew nothing about it. He would shut the wharf gates, and allow 110 one on the wharf unless they had legitimate business there. Thus reassured, most of the men seemed satisfied, though one was still suspicious, and ventured tho opinion that free labourers were either on the wharf alfeady, or coming on there very soon. He endeavoured to gather a party to go in search of them, and, as there were 110 volunteers, he sauntered off alone in the darkness in the direction of tho P. and T. Store. Gradually the watersiders seemed to be convinced that the wharf gates did not require very close attention, and shortly after midnight the watchers divided into little groups about 'tho Square, which still contained a good many curious oulookers and several j police.