The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY MAY 15 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3811, 15 May 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily FRIDAY MAY 15 1891.

After the late general election a respectable working man in this town, who was a consistent supporter ot Mr George Baetham, received the following highly suggestive letter. — Mr

I beg to state on account of .yew voting for Mr Beetham and not for Mr Hogg, your nose will be put out in the shape of The sooner you leave Masterton the better, Kxioh'js of Labobe. The above communication was certainly anonymous, but there was no doubt in the miud of the recipient that it emanated from a Knight of Labour, from one of Mr Hogg's lumbs, and having regard to the consideration that the Knights of Labour were the working committee of the present member for Masterton, and that their methods of procedure were more or less secret, we are not surprised that such a document should have been forwarded. We should indeed be interested to know whether any other working men received similar letters in connection with that election, because it is very desirable that honest men should be protected from intimidation of this character, and the best possible protection is the exposure of all unfair practices. Letters of this kind may be all very well in the disturbed districts of Ireland, or among Russian Nihilists, but we had hoped that in a free Colony like New Zealand there was no terrorism of this nature to be i feared. If a secret society like the Knights of Labour is responsible for it, the sooner such a society is , disbanded the better. The member 'for Masterton may be proud to be a member of the order, and even the Hon the Premier may patronise it, but right thinking, self respecting men will not care to be connected with it. We have come to this pass in New Zealand that a decent working mail cannot give his vote according to his own judgment, and according to his conscience without being threatened with a boycott. «Just as a straw shows the way of the wind, a letter like this shows how the working men of New Zealand are being politically trained, are being politically educated. The boycott is the modus operandi by which the leaders of the working man keep him in subjection —there is no appeal to his reason, there is do regard tor his conviction; he is not told to do this or that because it is right or proper, but he is simply informed that if he does not do what be is told he will be hunted out of the community.