THE 12th OF JULY.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 238, 13 July 1872, Page 2

THE 12th OF JULY.

The Twelfth ot July has come and gone, and, notwithstanding all the predictions as to a riot, all has, wo are happy to state, gone off quietly. A great deal of unnecessary excitement has been caused, and much angry feeling, which had better have been dormant, have beeu roused. And who is to blame for what has happened ? We cannot quite satisfactorily answer the question, but on looking back a little we find that the whole of the excitement originated from a meeting which was held in Shortland a short time since, and which meeting sent a deputation to the Superintendent, asking him to suppress a demonstration which was never intended to take place. Not satisfied with this, the same party must needs import into our community some 100 men or so, for the avowed purpose uf opposing a procession of Orangemen, which was never meant to be held. Our streets, yesterday, were paraded by numbers of men, many of them wearing green ribbons in their button-holes, who were anxiously waiting for something ihattln-y iiuagiued was going to happen. And what has been the result ? Why, such a muster of law-abiding men as has never before been seen at the Thames. It is quite out of tile question to suppose that the large number who last night attended the Orange soiree did so for the mere sake of enjoyment. They went there simply to show that they meant, to have no rioting in our midst, and to prove that they were strong enough to preserve order at all hazards. Last night at a late hour our streets presented the spectacle of an unruly crowd, who needed but little encouragement to start a “ row,” the natural consequence of a large number of men knocking about all day waiting for some excitement which was not to come, and who, we imagine, may have imbibed a little more than was good for them. We trust that our Coromandel visitors are satisfied with their visit, and will return whence they came as soon as posible. We want none of the like if we are to be disturbed, and our peaceful population to be kept in a state of irritation by their advent. As wo before remarked, there was no occasion for the display made yesterday, and we thank Providence, and so may our visitors and their friends, that no collision took place between the two parties, for, had such been the case, there would have been a scene never to he forgotten by the people of the Thames. We, at the same time, thank the Government for sending Mr Brohatn and his men to us, as no doubt their presence had an effect for good. With regard to the slight disturbance which took place in o wen-street, we put it. down simply to to the effects of drink on already excited minds, and we were glad to see that there were amongst the crowd many who, by their good sense, helped to keep the more noisy-inclined in good order.