THE FARMER VOLUNTEERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1897, 4 November 1913, Page 9

THE FARMER VOLUNTEERS.

THEIR VIEWPOINT. , 'A member of the Wairarapa contingent'■ of horsemen' approached \a Dominion representative yesterday morning, and requested that the feelings of the farmers who have volunteered their'services in connection with the present industrial, struggle should be given expression t(> through the columns of this journal. "Thoro seems to be an impression amongst a certain class of tho community," said he, "that we are here looking for trouble—spoiling for a fight. : Such is not the case. Our mission here is ■ to make peace, and if this can. be achieved without the use of force, we' shall be better pleased. Our own opinion as to the quickest and most effective method of ending the trouble- is to arrest. the'.agitators who ! are inciting the men to lawlessness. In making this statement, I do not wish it to be thought for one moment that •. I'or any of _ mj< friends wish to challenge the right of anyone to free. speech on this momentous question, but there is a sharf> distinction between the free .speech . which is the birthright of every. Britisher and the inflammatory, seditious speeches of these strike leaders. We who have come down from the country are mostly hard-working small farmers, whoso sympathies are with the working man, but the whole prosperity of the country'is' now at stake, and we are determined to see ; this .business through at any- cost. > What wo wouldlike 'to receive—and .in.,this I beliovo I am' voicing q, .^gajiinious. : opi3iion—is instructions to; ■under arrest, and we. nave a sufficiently powerful force to do this at short n,oticq. In accomplishing . this,' ,we„ feel".-, thai;.. we should : be rendering the whole' pobuluca of >Now Zealand/ and, incidentally the waterside workers, signal service."