MORE MOB VIOLENCE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1910, 19 November 1913, Page 6

MORE MOB VIOLENCE

The outburst of lawlessness which took place at Lytteiton yesterday should .put to silence, finally and completely, those people who have criticised the authorities in Wellington _ and Auckland for enrolling special .constables for tho purpose of j maintaining order. In spite of the i violence, intimidation, and destruction of property that took. place on I the Wellington waterfront before the special constables .came to the assistance of the regular police, certain critics declafio that the rioting was provoked by the presence of the' specials, and • havo persistently demanded their withdrawal. At Lyt T teltbn the authorities accepted the . assurance of tho Strike Gomnunitte'e that no violence would take place, and work was started on the wharf without any precautions having keen taken to meet possible emergencies. The promises of good Behaviour, howproved to be utterly worthless, and in the afternoon the wharf was rushed by a riotous mob, who defied the authorities and put a stop to all •work. An attempt was even made to push one of tho railway • trucks into the harbour. The authorities will now have to take the same steps in Lytteiton as in Auckland and Wellington to keep the disorderly element in cheek. Lawless force must lie suppressed by lawful foTee. If the strikers at Lytteiton and their sympathisers think they a ; ro going to block the business of the port by threats and .violence they are making a great mistake. It only rneans that instead of keeping the peace voluntarily they will have to do so under compulsion. It is reirrettnble to find that there has been some recrudescence of lawlessness in Wellington during the last clay or two. It shows that tjhere is still need for vigilance on tho part of the police tfnd special constables, and all offenders captured should be severely dealt with.