A RIOT AMONG SCOTCH FARM SERVANTS.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 303, 21 April 1874, Page 2

A RIOT AMONG SCOTCH FARM SERVANTS.

The mual half-yearly feeing markets hold this week in Forfarshire liavt been characterised by unusual scenes of violence and disorder. At Iho Tillage of Latham o» Monday, on the occasion of the usual half-y»arly gathering, a body of servants, to the number of upwards of 500, made a systematic attack on many of the loading furmeri of the" district. Whm it became known that a certain fafmor was in dne of the tent*, the pini were lifted, and tho farmer dragged forth

and pubjected to disgraceful treatment. Tho force of police? on the ground was either powerless or unwilling to protect the fanners, and tho attacks went on during the greater part of the day, and until the servants eoauied to have gone over tho list of mastora against whom they had an ill-will. One firmer took refuge in a shop, where he wai protected by the police from the violence of the crowd. His clothes were, however, torn and hit eyes blackened. Another farmer, about seventy years of age, was knocked down and 6erioutlj injured. At Grecian market on the following; day a large force of policemen were in attendance. In the afternoon there was an appearance of a similar outbreak to that at Let ha in being threatened, but tho assailants were powerless tw carry out their intentions owing to the strength of the police. The servants all appeared sober, but later in the day many of them were drunk, including a large number of women. It is not easy to get at the cause of the rioting t but it is raid that, owing to the high rate of wages wiiicb farm servants have lately been receiving, both masters -and servants, as term time approached, got disagreeable in their behaviour towards each other, and that many of the servants became so impudont and disobedient that the masters deducted from their wages certain sums, knowing that if the servants went bofom the Sheriff they would hare no redress, as decisions would be given against them on the ground that taey had illegally disobeyed, orders. Knowing that this would bo the case, tho servants took the law into their own hands, and the result ba» been the series of disgraceful attacks la the market this week — Liverpool Albion.