DISGRACEFUL SCENE AT FEILDING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1790, 16 February 1918, Page 3

DISGRACEFUL SCENE AT FEILDING.

TWO CLERGYMEN BRUTALLY ; ASSAULTED. : ONE KNOCKED INSENSIBLE.4 i (Dominion Correspondent). Feilding, Feb. 14. The most exciting and rowdiest public meeting in Feilding’s experience was that of the Rev. Howard Elliott’s address in the crowded Drill Hall last night, and which resulted in the unanimous formation of a branch of the Protestant Political Association. The meeting was followed by a sensational and disgraceful fracas in the street, in which two local clergymen, Rev. Thomas Miller (Presbyterian) and Rev, F. H, Stoekwell (Methodist) were the victims of brutal assaults. Anticipating trouble for Mr Elliott after the meeting, he -was taken out safely by the back way, and to fresh lodgings, as his first place of abode was not considered safe. Mr Stoekwell (who had been chairman of the meeting) and Mr Miller (who supported him on the platform), with other members of the Ministers’ Association, went out into the street with the crowd. Whilst they walked in lighted places they were unmolested, but immediately they turned into Kimbolton road they walked into a dark space. With a rush and a yell, a dozen men rushed upon the, two clergymen. Mr Miller, who had just stepped on to the road, received a blow on the side of the jaw, and was knocked off his feet, and was severely kicked on the hip whilst lying on the ground. He was feeling lame and sore from the kick to-day, but was otherwise feeling all right. Mr Stoekwell was surrounded, and it seemed to him as if every one of the men attempted to get in a blow. He was bruised all over his face. Ho was hitting out in selfdefence, when one of the assailants got in a knock-out blow. When he recovered consciousness he -was lying in the gutter. He felt stiff and sore to-day, and doubtful whether he will look presentable enough for a public appearance for several days. The attack was done so suddenly that it was over and (he assailants were away before the crowd could take any action in it. The victims were taken home in motor cars. It is surmised that Mr Stoekwell, who is much of the build of the organiser of the P.P.A., was assaulted in mistake for the Rev. Howard Elliott. The police are investigating the matter, hut as neither clergymen could distinguish any of the assailants in the darkness ,nothing is expected in the way of punishment for the roughs. In commenting editorially on the above, our .Feilding contemporary says: “Catholics and Protestants alike have every right to organise, and it is almost purely a matter of how the organisation is used. If the large majority of the population are flaccid, and allow the small minority to pursue a policy of preparedness, then it takes large quantities of dynamic slanguage to move the apathy and inertia into action. If there is nothing but hot-air behind these outbusts, the alleged enemy and the general public let it go at that. There is compliment and compensation for Messrs Howard Elliott, Stoekwell, and Miller in the fact that they are obviously worth being made victims of tiie P.P.A. movement and martyrs of a real Cause. As for sectarianism, it has been, and always will be so long as men differ on religious grounds and are swayed by strong feelings that are only held in leash by the very thin threads of passion and prejudice. It was disgraceful that such an assault and battery as that recorded on Wednesday night should be possible in Feilding in 1918, and the only satisfaction to be derived —apart from the propaganda value the P.P.A. may place upon the incident —is that the assailants were not men of Feilding.”

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FOR .JUSTICE. A deputation from tlie P.P.A. ■waited upon the lion. Thos. Wilford, Minister for Justice, at Wellington yesterday, in connection with above. The Minister said: — “I welcome this first opportunity given me hy your deputation to state my views with reference to what has arisen; and I shall state them so plainly that all can understand. There will he no quibbling of phraseology, but Simple, plain language. As Minister for Justice, I know no religion and no sect (Hear, hear.) I meet you to-day as a deputation, ns citizens of New Zealand—(hear, hear) —caring nothing in my administration of justice what your religion may be, (Hear, hear.) Before you came to me I had already taken this matter in hand. Before you asked for the deputation I considered it my duty from the reports of what had taken place, to immediately give instructions for steps to be taken for the discovery of the men who had committed the assault on’these two gentlemen. Before your deputation came I had already given instructions to the Commissioner of Police to lose no lime and to make every effort for the purpose of bringing to justice the men who had committed this cowardly assault ou these two men. Gentlemen, if they are caught, any province finishes with them. They are handed over to the law; and from the statements we have of the injuries suffered by

these two men, the offences with which they are charged will be indictable offences which wiff have to be dealt with by the Supreme Qourt. My clear and plain duty, and one which I shall never swerve from, is to preserve law. and order, and to allow any and every citizen of this country to go free and unmolested about his legitimate business, without let dr hindrance. (Hear, hear). “I ask you to leave me to go on in the way I have started in trying to bring these men to justice, and I give you my word that, whether you or Roman Catholics, come to me, I am going to preserve order in this country or go out. (Hear hear). I have nothing more say.”