LIBERTY ON THE RACK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 9

LIBERTY ON THE RACK.

• {To the Editor.) Sir,—After the protection afforded Sir Joseph Ward by the police of Wellington when the watersiders and others wanted a closo view of his departure as Prima Minister from tho wharf a whilo back, lie now has tho supremo audacity to question tho action of tho polico on Thursday evening in scattering tho crowd on tho Square not a hundred yards from whero ho, too, once met with so warm a reception. Not one word does ho utter about red .riots or Waterloo Quay and Lambtoft Quay just previous, and of tho cowardly behaviour of 3iis new-found protc-gos throughout tho wholo piece. Sir, I clnss his utterances about wishing hostilities to cease in tho same category as those- of his soap-box friends, who (whilo 0110 section of tho strikers were destroying Crown property down tho road a few hundred yards) told tho remainder what a fine orderly lot of fellows the strikers were, and deploring tho occasion of a possible reading of tho Riot Act. As one who witnessed both fracases, I assure you Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. W. Young themselves would havo moved quickly out of rango of tho said trouble,, not to speak of less loyal and less courageous people. There was >i« justification for Sir Joseph Ward's .attack on tho farmer's sons (tho sniiio fino stamp who compose the First Contingent, in the days of Seddon) for their attempt to clear the trade routes at tho very de>or of the capital itself. I am only sorry now I did not join in tho demonstration of affection his now friends gavo him threo years ago.—l am, etc., BART.