KEEPING THE KING'S PEACE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 8

KEEPING THE KING'S PEACE.

AT THE BARRACKS. PARADE OF MOUNTED FARMERS. STRIKERS USB STONES, v ORDER TO CHARGE SCATTERS THEM. The scenes inside and: outside the Mount Cook barracks and Defence Department's buildings are striking enough just now. Captain Powles informed a Dominion representative on Saturday that the Deienco authorities were only concerned at present with looking after their own. buildings. "All arrangements," said Captain Powles, " are in the hands of the Commissioner of Polico and tho Justico Department, and as the special constables' aro being accommodated in the Government Buildings, the military are merely here to see that no damage is done to Government property." With that object in viow a lino of armed men are guarding cash end of Buckle Street, and only those who have business in the vicinity aro allowed access. Tho Defence Department's buildings presented a very busy appearance 011 Saturday, and ono could not but admire tho oxcellent arrangements made at such short notice by tho authorities. Tho commodious Garrison Hall had been converted into sleeping quarters, and en abundant supply of straw is available for mattresses, the mounted constables having tho use of their own I great coats' as blankets. The 250 men from the Wairarapa aro quartered hero at night, and take their meals in the adjoining Artillery Hall, wllero three long wooden benches have been erected. Their horses are picketed in the hall yard, a handy spot, and well protected. Across tho road the men from the Manawatu district are quartered, the large wooden shed erected last month for tho housing of the Britannia _ aeroplane being brought into requisition. A Wonderful Oven. In an adjoining building is a huge oven, t<m feet long by fivo broad, capable of cooking meals simultaneously for 500 men, this boing tho invention of Lieutenant Roberts, of the sth (Wellington) Regiment, who is a draughtsman in the employ of the Railway Department. There aro two back-to-'back ovens on each side, with throe shelves on each, with twelve 18-inch square dishes, capable of cooking 80 eight-pound joints at tho same tune. This oven does away with tho oldfashioned boilers, and everything is cooked by steam, there being two boilers holding 40 gallons each, four steamers (six is necessary) holding 30 callous each, and threo grates in oacn fire burning of coal an hour. All these vessels filled with cold water can bo boiling nnd ready for meals m less than half-an-liour. There is a similar oven in tho Artillery Hall for tho cooking of meals for the Wairarapa men. Theso- ovens were used last Easter for the sth Regiment at tho Trentham camp, at the camp near W<K)dville, and at the 13th Regiments camD at YaldlHirst, at each of which they gave unexampled satisfaction.

Men's Resolute Spirit. The moil from the Wairarapa and Manawatu districts are as fine a lot of men in the saddle as ono could wish to bpp, and tbero was no concealing tho fact that they were here for business, prepared to faco any emergency if put to it. They express no against tho well-behaved, orderly strikers, but for tho lawless ones, seeking trouble, they have no such regard. As one man tersely put it, m conversation with a Dominion reporter, "If they don't want to work, let 'em play; but our stuff has got to be shipped by someone, and we'ro going to see that it. s done. If the strikers think they can stop us from doing so, wo're ready to argue the point." Fusillade of Stones, During the afternoon, 120 of the mounted men paraded in Buckle Street, and rode off to meet a larger contingent/ from tho Wairarapa. They had a mixed reception as they proceeded via Wellington Torrace, being reoeived with cheers in places, and with jeers in others. A feiv disorderly ones, whoso pooket3 were filled with stones, ran alongside, calling tho mounted' men "Cowards," much to tho amusement of the unbiased spectators, but further on £!:& epithet could havo been more justly -applied to those who used it,, as when proceeding along the Terraco thoy commenced a fusillade of stones on the mounted men, whose bacStß wero turned, several of them being hit. Order That Scattered them. This went on all tho way down the Terrace, until the top of Boulcott Street was reached, by which time the mounted men had apparently had their patience strained to breaking point. The order was given, "About " turn! Charge!" and tho result was astonishing. Those who had been so freo with the word "C-owards" rail like rabbits, vaulted tho gates into private gardens, and sought shelter in every corner where a horse could not follow. Immediately, however, the ordorto "About turn," was repeated, and tho horsemen had their hacks turned once more, tho "rabbits" caji)o out of their retreats, and another shower of stones was hurled. Tho men then proceeded down the Tcrrace. Mounted Men ln]ured. During the stone throwing one mounted man was struck on tho head by a piece of brick. He sustained a. sovero wound, but phickily kopt his place and finished tho long rido. At thp Brunswick Hot-el corner another horseman was hit 011 the wrist by what appeared to bo a bolt slung on a. piece of Btring. Tho special constable instantly swung round, and with a blow of nis baton felled his assailant. On the, Terrace there was moro stone-throwing, although no damage was done. Ono of tho special men lost control of his horse for a moment, and was carried out of the ranks into the crowd, Ho was quickly_ surrounded, and trouble seemed imminent, but some of tho regular constables galloped iback and rescued him. Four times the rearguard doubled back to drive tho crowd away. Once clcar of the Terraco there was no further trouble. Cheers for tho Contingent. Tho contingent proceeded from the Torraoo tdoiiic Mu&ouw Street. Into

Sydney Street. As tliey climbed the hill up to Kolburno Park, tlio cricketers who wero at piny t'lieio rushed to the fence, and gave thorn a hearty cheer as t'hey passed. A few "hoo-hoo6" wero mingled vvitli tho cheers. Tlio troop then turned into Tmakori ltoad, and proceeded in tho direction of Thorndoii, being c'iicered as they passed tho Thorndoii bowling green by a largo number of players, headed by Colonel 11. J. Collins. At Thorndoii tho troopers descended ou to tho llutt ltoad, and set out at a brisk trot for l'etone. Hie journey was without incident until aftor Ngahauranga was passed. Then, without any warning, three of the regulars riding in the rear of tho troop, suddenly turned their horses and rodo on to tho oyclo track at tho side of the road, intercepting a small band of cyclists who wero following tho march, 'lwo of tho men dismounted and proceeded to search one of tho cyclists for weapons. The search was unsuccessful, so thoy pounced on another who had been showing a good deal of curiosity about the process. "What's that for P" said one of the two young men. "We don't look liko strikers." "Under present conditions," tho constable replied, "wo have a perfect right to search anyone on tho King's highway." It did not seem ae if tho young men were greatly annoyed at tho attentions of the police, as they wore prominent a little later in raising a cheer for tho contingent as they rodo through Lower liutt. Frosh Detachment Met. The troop made a brave show as they galloped through Petono in a cloud of dust. As they neared tho Lower Hutt station the purpose of the ride—which had been kept very dark—became apparent. A long train of horso trucks was drawn up at a siding, and another largo troop -was seen in the act of detraining. The riders announced their approach with loud ' "coooes," which were responded to by hearty cheers by the noTvcomers. A big crowd of spectators had ilso gathered, and cheered both contingents. There were 110 of tho new detachment, so that when the march back to town was commenced there wero 240 specials and about 80 regulars on parade. As they galloped through Lower Hutt and Petone taunts wero thrown at them by a few persons. The men paid no attention to tlio cries, but rodo steadily on. At Kaiwarra they were joined by another. 33 specials, and at Thorndon by a dozen regulars,_ so that when the troop finally rodo into tho city at 7 p.m. it comprised just ovor 300 men. It was a great sight as they came down tho quay and turned up Bowen Street into the Terrace. As they passed Parliament House a number of members and others gave them rirgiug cheers. ■ Tho journoy along the Terrace to the Mount Cook Barracks was quite without incident, and tho detachment arrived safe and sound.