THE RIOT ACT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1898, 5 November 1913, Page 4

THE RIOT ACT.

In view of the (act that it may be necessary at any moment, .in- thesetroublous times, to read the Riot Act, it is as well that citizens should clearly understand the serious nature of this step' in its bearing on the public. The actual terms of the proclamation are as follow

Our Sovereign Lord the King charges and commands all persons being assembled immediately to disperse and peaceably to depart to their habitations or to their lawful business, upon the pain of being guilty of an offence on conviction of which they may bo sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for life.

The gravity of the situation in connection, with the reading of tho Riot Act may he judged from the fact that any attempt to fordibly prevent the proclamation being made renders the person so acting liable to imprisonment with hard labour for life. It may impress some of tho public still more to learn that all persons are liable to imprisonment for life with hard labour, who continue together to the number of twelve for one hour after tho reading of the proclamation. In the event of a crowd failing to disperse force may be used, and all members of the public can be called on to assist the authorities. 1 Clause 108 of the Act provides that all_ persons are liable to imprisonment with hard labour for life who, being riotously and tumultuously assembled together to tho disturbance of the public peace, unlawfully and with _ forco demolish or attempt to demolish' or pull down any building, machinery, bridge, wagon-way, etc. Moreover, a penalty of seveA years' imprisonment is provided for any persons injuring or damaging tho things mentioned above. It will be evident to all that if the authorities are driven to the length of reading the Riot Act the offences which are being committed_ in the way of mob violence will subject the perpetrators to the liability of spending the restof their lives in gaol. AVe sincerely trust that it may not be necessary to go this length, but mob lawlessness has already gone too far in this City of late, and must bo checked. It is only fair to state that a good many of the strikers appear to have kept clear of the latest attacks on the mounted special constables, arid that a bad element from the lowest quarters of the City have beeta largely responsible for much of t-ho mischief done. Many 01 these latter are known to tho regular police, and, although they have so far managed to avoid arrest, it is only a matter of time before they will bo called on to answer for their acts of violence.