The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, November 4, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1167, 4 November 1913, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, November 4, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The executive of the Federation of Labour, who now control the strike on behalf of Waterside Workers, on Sunday waited upon the Premier and Sir Joseph Ward and submitted certain proposals to them, which are set out elsewhere, for consideration by the employers in order to end the strike. As a result, a conference was arranged yesterday between seven delegates representative of both parlies which met at Parliament House. After a discussion lasting lour hours, the conference adjourned till this afternoon. It is pleasing to note that wiser counsels are prevailing among some of the leaders of the Federation of Labour, who, bv their action thus affirm ihe principle ol arbitration. Under the circumstances, the outlook appears more promising. In the meantime the;authorities are determined that lawlessness shall be put down and persons and property protected.

Thk strikers have a great antipathy to the special constables who have volunteered their services to uphold the law. While we are of opinion that special police are absolutely necessary in such circumstances, we think a little more discretion should have been exercised by the authorities in selecting men. The services of volunteers for police duty under 21 years of age should not have been accepted. We are pleased to know, however, that only a small percentage of such are employed. There are thousands of seasoned men in this country who, if the necessity arose, would be found to uphold the law and repress irrespousibles.

Talking of special constables, yesterday’s N.Z. Times remarks that "there has been a disposition in some ol the open-air speeches to warn the strikers against any interference with or display of violence towards the regular police, aud to advise them to confine their attention to the special constables aud free labour. This counsel is unsound and dangerous in so far as the distinction between the tegular police and special constables is concerned. The special constables having been sworn in have become a part of constituted authority, aud as such they are entitled to the same degree of respect aud consideration as the regular police. They represent the law. They are the law itself. To ignore this fact is to invite disaster,”

Nothing, so far, of a startling nature has occurred in Foxton. Several young fellows who volunteered for special police duty, came in for some hooting as they departed on Saturday night. These young fellows were unable to board the train at Shannon and had to return home. But several of them, determined to see it through, entrained yesterday at Shannon. A little speech making of a humorous nature was indulged in on Saturday night. Yesterday Mr Rose’s flaxmill hands refused to turn to because one of his employees had volunteered for police duty. The mill has ceased working iu the meantime. The ultimatum to Mr Rose is that he must get rid of the young fellow before they will again start work. The matter has been reported to the Union and there the matter ends for the present.