FIRST MOVE ON LYTTELTON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1916, 26 November 1913, Page 8

FIRST MOVE ON LYTTELTON.

BY CONSTABULARY. THE MARCH OF SEPARATE BODIES. • TIMED TO A MINUTE. TUNNEL FIRST POINT SEiZED. (By TolcgraDli.—Prces Association.) Lytteiton, November 25. Although on Jlonday night Lyttelton was fully aware Hint it was to tic invaded the following day, and was cognis'.ilit of the'plans, it slumbered peacefully during tiio early hours while, the Jim passes were being taken. At 5 0 clock tiio wharves were almost do* sorted. A few pressmen waited on tho waterfront and nightwatchmen strolled about-, while the sentry of H.M.S. I's.vchc, nosv without his bayonet, marched ceaselessly to and fro.' Shortly alter f> two scouts appeared at the top of the bridle path; thev wero t*ic first oi tho force that had boon (lispatched by motor-cars under Staff Officer Hewlett to seize the tunnel. Tho manoeuvre was carried out unopposed, j'ort.v foot spreicls took charge of the Heatiicote end or the tunnel month, ami tho remainder ascended tho precipitous bridle path. An advance guard joined tho two scouts after a few minutes, and hills were scanned for strikers pickets, but they did not exist: 1 lie main body, about 150. strong, then boidly burst over the lop of tiio hill and obtained first view of tho port, they were to occupy. Marching in column ot lours and divided into two companies in , y a . m „' ,oc '£ descended rapidly and halted half-way down to allow a party ot lour to ascend a spur to look for the mounted men. One excited onlooker lrom ilio port aiinouncod that bronzed specials wero pursuing the pickets of the watersiders, but subsequent inquiries proved' there' bad been never a picket, starting from the hill at 5.30 the force reached Norwich Quay about 6. It' strode along the street and then wheeled about, descended to tho wharf, and captured the Lyttelton end of the tunnel, liesting from their exertions, the auvauco gunrd waited by tho mouth ot tne tunnel for tho mounted men to arrive. Main Body Follows Vanguard. Spccial train- laden with the renianuier of ilio loot contingent, carrying the staff and Arbitration labourers, steamed into Lyttelton about u ' • "'"-''""B cheers from the specials - already in port. Almost simultaneously tho mounted men shoiv* ed up a'fc three points. One party came along Governor's Bay Hoad, having come by tiio liapaki route, and another, having crossed tho Hills by tho Mount ' feasant way, came straight down Canterbury Street, . whilo the third, which bad detoured round the Signal Station, appeared at the same time. They were marched down to the wharf, and the occupation of Lyttelton was complete. The railway station was controlled' by some regular police, and strong':, squad's of mounted "specials'' wero posted, one at the post office and the other a? tho goods office. The foot "specials" gathered, and at various .points along the waterfront they wero in' strong force. Fifty Arbitrationists marched oil tne wharf with a strong guard' of "specials and a few regular police. "nrboor Hoard's tug was brought round to take them off to the To Aitau . tho houseboat. No Permits for Reporters. i lie wharf and adjacent land was cleared oi residents or the port, and orders, were issued that no ono was -permitted to go on the wharf without a pass. J here was inimediatc-lv a demand or passes, and after Colonel Chalky had conferred with the secretary of tho Harbour Board it was announced that passes could be obtained from the Harbouriioaru s office. By 7.30 the crowd s'k mi reacilc 'J somewhere near ntty. lucre was an outburst of hootmg as one train.moved out. lhe next event of interest occurred about 8 o clock, when several mounted squads were put in movement. Detachments ot about 20 were moved about the streets, and several squads passed right through the gathered strikers without any trouble. No comment was made and tho only remark passed' was bv a resident, who announced lie saw "Midnight Sun ' amongst the horses. The reporters got a shock this morm'ne when tljoy applied lor permits to eu&r the wimrvcs which wero guarded by ■ specials " They wore told by Colonel ' Uiallcy that permits would! only bo issued if the reporters undertook to con- ! sit5it A n n as n- l . n vvl . lat ' iVKS Published. The Jiytteitoiiimvcs" reporters i-efWd tho ' ?onditioiis, and left tlic tvliarve* " J