CANADIAN “MOUNTIE”

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 215, 2 August 1939, Page 1

CANADIAN “MOUNTIE”

SERVICE IN MIDDLE-WEST EXPERIENCES RELATE© NOW OPOTIKI RESIDENT The stirring days .of tlie-AYild West in Canada are no more. The only touch of those cowboy days is seen to-day in the rodeo shows of the prairie cities, according to Mr. Frederick Shannon, a Canadian who seryg.d 3-J years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Mr. Sbannou, who hails from New Primswick. has settled in Opotiki and pays regular visits to Gisborne. As a clever exponent of American basketball he has come into some prominence in the activities of the Gisborne Y.M.O.A. Signing up with the celebrated mounted police force - in Ottawa, Mr. Shannon trained at Regina, in tlio middle-west. From there he was posted to various detachments of the force and served 1 in manv centres on the prairies. Chatting with a Gisborne Herald representative, Mr. Shannon said that the prairies covered probably 1800 miles from east to west and extended from the United States’ border away into the northern regions. Originally much of these expansive plains were taken up by ranches, but to-day large areas were being occupied lor agriculture. However, repeated droughts in some localities were operating agaiust the success of grain-growing. Ranching wa*S still carried on, but was now more confined to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where the Duke of Windsor had liis ranch. On the prairies

Farmsteads on the prairies were often scattered over a wide area and to overcome the expense of erecting telephone lines the farmers used the fence lines. It was a common thing to see a special set of wires, erected over a gateway to avoid obstruction. Although the prairies were so wide, the days of difficult -communication were over and in most districts good roads had been provided!. This was true lor tl;e> greater part of the year, but when the country was frozen over in mid-winter, motor travelling was only possible on the main roads. Mr. Shannon said that he was often asked if the Royal Canadian Mounted ‘Police still retained its horses of world renown. The position was that comparatively few mounts were, used now. these being retained specially for mounted police work in controlling large crowds in the* cities. All detachments to-day were equipped with, motor cars to facilitate quick transport. Tlie force originally gained its reputation as the North-West Mounted Felice, but in ISO'4- the King conferred upon the service the name of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which had been given the work of policing

the whole of Ctifiiiehv.”' Supplementary police forces were ’ provided in the larger centres by _ the local- bodies of ’ ' those communities. 1 . ■ "p- • - ,» Life in the y r ' Lifemn the service was niucli thesaine as that in any police force of the Empire. The highlight of Mr. Shannon’s experience with the mounted! police occurred while, he was stationed & at llegina. Discontent culminated in a riot in 1936' and a clash with the rioters resulted in of a police officer. About mounted; policemen, together witji'iijj. biv SO city policemen, were calle'dAboui: to quell the rioting. The "disturbance attracted large numbers into the streets and the mounted men were given instructions to* clear the thoroughfares. They did so by sweeping everyone before them. The excitement lasted for three or four hours. Asked about the Red Indians, Mr. Shannon said there were probably still between 30,000 and 100,000, but they were mainly located, in numerous Indan reserves and lived a mote or less separate life from that of the general community. -In some cases these Indians to-day were still living in their wigwams of birch bark and maintained many of their ancient customs. Tho ■North American Indians, although afforded the opportunity, had not responded to modern education. They had remained a backward people anti were a striking contrast to the Maoris.