THE STATE'S DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1894, 31 October 1913, Page 9

THE STATE'S DUTY.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. THAT CAVALRY CHARGE. PKIME MINISTER SPEAKS OUT, malntaininc the law. For tho first timo sinco its commoncement tho watersiders' striko' was tho subject of more than passing referenoo in tho Housd of Representatives lastevening. . _ Sir J. Ward questioned tho Priino Minister on the subject of an alleged cavalry charge in Post Office Squaro yesterday afternoon. Immediately after tho Houso met tho Loader of the Opposition said that ho desired to address a question to tho Primo Minister on a matter of urgency, and asked that Mr. Massey (who was not then in tho Chamber) should bo sent for. The Hon. W. H. Herries said that tho Primo Ministor. was engaged upon an important conference, but would be sent for. On the side of tho Law. WHien Mr. Massey arrived, Sir J. Ward said that b© had a question to' ask m connection with tho regrettable striko in Wellington,; "So far as this side of tho House, is concerned," ho said, "we nro on tho sido of law and order in this country. (Hear, • hear.) But a circumstance has been brought before myynotice to-night by. 'responsible people who aro not connected with tlio and who . saw. a circumstance that occurred this afternoon of such a Jiaturo that I fool itlny duty, to _ brin it boforo, tho notico of tho JVimo Minister so that ho may inquire, if necessary, into what appears to bo n very extraordinary and regrettablo incident. Tlio statement mado to m© was that this afternoon in Post Office Square, a largo mimbcr of ppoplo who had assenibled (many of whom wero not strikers, but citizens of Welling-' ton who had 2<ine down thero owing, to the exciteqient that obtains) found themselves in' the position of being galloped over by a number of cavalrymcn from th? jcountry' The Prime Minister: You mean constables, surely ? • i

> "Batons and Revolvers." , Sir J. Ward: I mean mounted constab'es. He continued that tho statement made to him was that tho gathei"ing at Post Olfico Square consisted of a largo number of people, who had nothing to do with tho striko,- but had been taken there by curiosity. The mounted police, ho was informed, displayed batons and revolvers. j Mr. Eraser: What? Sir J. Ward ; I am stating what I was ' Mr. Fraser: Are you sure it is true? Sir J. Ward said that he' had received his information from people of undoubted credibility. Tho mounted police, ho was told, gathered at a point seventy feet away from the orowd, t'hen wheeled and galloped through it. /'ln tho crowd thero wero a number of well-dressea women, amongst others, and ,a number of people wero knockcd down and seriously injured. While he was on the side of law and order, as ho, believed every public man in thif country ought to be, lie wanted to say that if there wero men engaged, as special constables who lost their heads from any cause whatever, and wero responsible for saich an incident as had been brought under his notice, all he .could say was .that it going to prov'gkd'a.ty.ery,'jhuck.,-ftorsp.. state of affairs than existed at ment. They wero all anxious ' to prevent that, and to .do all in their power to provoiit it.' It ought-to bo possible to lind out who was responsible for tho action to which he had just referred. He had been assured just before coming into the Houso that night by a man Who was president of 0110 of the unions connected with tho waterside union that before tho batons were used ho was able to keep absolute peace among tho members of the union, but that the incident mentioned had acted upon them in a very extraordinary way. The men who . had spoken to him efirlier had assured him that they had not believed . what they had seen that afternoon to bo possible in this country. They assured him also that the incident had acted «s an incentive not only on tho men engaged in this unfortunate strike, but others. In 1 fact, he (Sir J. Ward) did not ■ think that ho should put on record publicly wh'at one of theso men had said to him. He hoped.that tho Government would see that nothing of tho kind occurred again. His informants Were leading men in Wellington, not connected witli any union and not in favour of the strike. Ho felt it jhis duty as a public man to say that while they were all anxious to see the striko ended and considered that all reasonable means should bo taken to end it, if thoy wero going to" havo incidents of this kind occurring there would bo bloodshed in this city as surely as lie was talking to the Prime Minister. Ho did , not, know that ho was at liberty to mention the names of the people who had come to him and spoken about the incident of tho afternoon. A number of people had rung him up in his room aboiit it from all over tho place. The incident had 1 caused a very keen feeling of resentment amongst tho people of Wellington who did not wish to take.any part in the strike and were anxious to see it ended.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IN- . TENDS. - THE PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT. The Prime Minister said that in reply to tho right hon. gentleman all that he could say was that ho had only heard of this incident'within "the last few minutes, 110 would promiso to mako inquiries and if the statements made by the right hon. gentleman wero found to bo correct, then the Government would take the necessary steps to prevent any recurrence of tho incident which had been referred to. "I was pleased to hear the. hon.-gentleman say that he would assist by any reasonable method in bringing this unfortunate strike to an end." the Primo Minister went on to remark. "Tho Government lias done everything possiblo to bring 't'lio parties together with tho object of bringing about a settlement of tho dispute. Unfortunately, up to the present, wo linvo not; boon gncccssful. Negotiations have been broken off and when they are likely to be resumed it is quitn impossible for me to say, but I would just like to sa.V this: that ipenking for tho Government our, duty Is perfectly clear. I have no sympathy —and the Government has no s.vnir aathv —with such incidents as the hon. Eontieman has rcforred to, but bur duty Is perfectly clear. It is to do nil that we can to keep the ports open, to keep commerce going, to keep industries going, and to put (Town lawlessness. (Hear, hear.) We intend to do everything we possibly can to maintain law and order. Support Demanded. "I want the support of the Leader of tho Opposition, that of members of the House, and of all right-thinking men throughout the country, to bring this unfortunate trouble to an end, and if we got tho support of the people' throughout tho country the dispute will soon come to an end. Tho Government knows its duty, and is going to do it." Against Lawlessness. Sir Joseph Ward said that ho had Spoken witn a full senso of respomii-

bility, not only as the Leader of a party but as a public mail' and a citizen ,of this country. , Ho was against lawlessness, and so was overy.other member on- the Liberal sido. Ho believed that there could be no exception so far as that sido of the Houso was concorned. At tho same timo be wanted to say that if bo was cxpected to bo a party to such scenes as bo had referred to ho was not going to bo a party. On. tho contrary, ho would on every occasion call tho attention of the Primo Minister to tho.matter. So far, ho had taken no other part than to endeavour to smooth over tho trouble. Ho bad beon of opinion from tho beginning that prior to a strike overy reasonable effort should bo mado to prevent theSo breaches and troubles developing into a position of the strongest winning after a protracted struggle, no rogrotted tho strike* and was anxious to seo tho. industries of this country proceed. In this lie was expressing no opinion on what had led up to the strike. An Official Report. The Prime Ministor said that since tho bon. gentleman had spoken he had received information regarding the incident in tho Post Office Square. *He was informed that a party of mounted constables, consisting partly of ordinary constables and partly of special constables led by an experienced officer, Sergeant O'Halloran - (whoso namo lie had not heard until that evening) received oxtrcme provocation, and were pelted with stones and pieces of iron. He was also informed that, another unfortunate "incident had occurred—that a constable had been so seriously injured that bo might not recover. This news had como to him in the last five minntes. Ho was going to inquire into this affnir, and if the statements made by Sir J. Ward were .correct —they wero only hearsay so far as that member was concerned —tho Government would take the necessary stops to prevent anything of the kind happening again. • Provocation. Sir J. W&rd said that his information wa3 that the whole of the provocation "aino from the police. Ho was also informed that if batons had been used amongst those who had thrown stones that would have been a proper thing to do, but that the "police came out at a poinV some seventy feet away from where the incidents rcforred to by the Prime Minister took place, and then turned round and galloped , through the mass of people, which included women and. somo children, and men who had nothing whatever to do with the strike. Mr. Webb and Constablos. Mr. P. C. Webb was now permitted to address a question to the Prime Ministor, though somo objections were at first offered. "I have been connected with these men for a number of years, ho began, and was immediately interrupted. Tho Speaker told Mr. Webb that he must state his question. Mr. Webb said that he wished to ask tho Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice whether, realising the seriousness of the situation —(interruptions) — no would liko to ask the Prime Minister, in view of the- circumstances that now existed in Wellington, and in view of the fact that they wore on the verge of a riot, bo might say, with the whole mind of the public electrified, whether ho would, through tlio Minister of Justice, withdraw tlicso special constables who wero causing this disturbance. •

Cries of ''No I" and laughter. Mr. Webb said that ho wanted to ask tho Prime Minister and Minister of Justice whether they would see that '.'these special sworn-in constables that paraded the streets that evening were withdrawn until such time asia public inquiry was set up to investigate into tho wholo'of this business. • Responsibility rested on the Minister to protect theso men in Wellington and not allow their heads to be batoned in in.such a fashion." ' ' / A FIRM REFUBAL. SPECIAL CONSTABLES WILL REMAIN. The Hon. A. L. Herdman, Minister of Justice, answered tho question. "I havo very much pleasure in replying to tho honourable gentleman," ho said, "and I can assure him that there will be no attempt on the part of the Gov-, ernment to withdraw any special constables." Mr. Webb: Then murder will rest at your'feet. . , Mr. Herdman: "And' circumstances have occurred within the last few days which will make it imperative that further special constables will bo enrolled for tho purpose of protecting life and property, and maintaining order, and ensuring that people may be allowed to go about their "business in tho ordinary way. I don't think I need say more than that." . Mr. Robertson: You will need a bigger force of regulars to protcct them. Mr. Webb: Will the Minister of Justico go'and get sworn in as'a special constable? Afterwards, tho question having been answered, the next ordor of .tho day, which happened to bo ''The Scienco and Art Bill" was called on\ Sir. Webb, looking palo and excited,, ejaculated: "Honourable members may do what they like," .and ho forthwith walked out of tho Chamber.