THE INTIMIDATION PLOT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16349, 5 February 1924, Page 8

THE INTIMIDATION PLOT.

A PLAN OF ELECTION SPECIAL CONSTABLES.

Like an unclean blight upon ripening crops (says the Tablet) there has fallen 'upon our nation a. sudden pest, in tbe shape of a sinister conspiracy against free speech. Not dozens, but hundreds of cases have been reported of orators howled down, of platforms invaded, of stewards assaulted, and even of lights switched out with the sole object of preventing certain arguments being spoken and heard. Surely the time has come for local authorities—not the State —to charge themselves with the task of keeping ordei ; at public meetings within the area of their jurisdiction. We say "not the State." because it would be repugnant to English .traditions that State functionaries should thrust themselves, in any capacity whatsoever, into any public proceedings for the free election 'of the people's • representatives. But there could be no reasonable objection to a force of "special' election constables" enrolled from the'ranks of the local voters themselves,' irrespective of party. Details of suoh a scheme would require discussion. For instance, it'might or might not be a good plan to choose by ballot the constables to attend a given meeting, instead of necessarily sending Conservative constables,to a Conservative meeting, Labor to a Labor, and so oh. j Leaving details alone, our broad suggestion is that it should be the duty of the "specials," without waiting for an appeal from the platform, to act as guardians of public order at political meetings: with power, of course, to arrest persistent brawlers, for "whom the punishment should be exemplary.' CJ.i Thursday. Dfidotiibor 6. there were too many constituencies' wherein the election lacked moral validity; because the candidates were not .allowed, either by set speeches or through answers to questions, to expound their principles and programmes. ".