A PROTEST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1573, 4 December 1885, Page 4

A PROTEST.

(TO THE EDITOR OV TUB STANDARD.) Sir,— Will you allow me a space m your paper, as I wish to ask i£ some protection cannot be given to inoffensive people. On Saturday evening as the Salvation Army were marching to have an opan air service, a crowd of roughs, notmerelv lads of about eighteen or twenty, but men of thirty years, gathered around them, and without the slightest provocation on the part of the Army, commenced to set up a hnllabooloo, which was intermingled with obscene language, deafening and disgraceful. I have since found out that it was planned. Nor was this all, one of the soldiers, as ho. went ahead to open the door, was followed by four, who were crying out " Stop him' ; two men made a «rab at him, anil m his endeavour to escape, sprained his ankle, and, of course, cannot work. While the disturbance was <*ohv on, the constable was standing, looking on. Now, one word from mm would have quelled the disturbance, and I am sure thoy deserve the protection ot the law as well as any, seeing that they were not law-breakers but law-abidera. In Wellington, .Auckland, and other cities, the protection of the police is given, why not here. In Melbourne when the Army first commenced there, every one was up m arms, the officers were most brutally treated ; m one case, an officer was knocked down, hzs boots taken from him and his head battered with them ; the retaliation he gave was prayer for his prosecutor; no protection was given them. To-day, what is (he result ? When a word from the commissioner, that flection must be given, a work of reformation was began, amongst the criminal class one case a convict, who after serving years m English prisons m irons ,vas transported to Tasmania, from there to New South Wales, from there he got to Victoria, where he spent some twenty years of his life m prison, was through the philantrophio work of-the Prison Gate Brigade taken m hand, and a thorough reformation wrought m his life, he is now a soldier of the Army. Another, who one Sanday night, came into the meeting to . pass an hour away previous to committing a bursrlary, was broken down by thtTsmging of a hymn, the result being a reformation to the present day to which the police can testify. Another, who forged a cheque some years ago, when brought m by the Army, not only went and paid back the money, but gave himself up to the police, to suffer the penalty of the law. Even m this town there has been known cases of those who have been leading reckless lives, and have got themselves into debt, that when the Army got hold ot them, all their outstanding debts have beeii^paid. In one case of over one hundred pounds. If there is anyone who needs the protection of the law, it is the Army, they are the moral scavengers for society, they try to elevate those who debauch themselves with drink, misery, and sorrow, then hands off, pray, if you cannot do them any good, do them no harm. 1 trust those that road this will sympathise, and see if something cannot be done to put a stop to thelarrikinism that prevails here. Pardon me if I have taken too much space. — I am, &c, Fairplay.