Special Constable's Baton

The Waterfront Strike or 'Great Strike' of 1913 is remembered as one of the most violent episodes in New Zealand's labour history. A strike of waterside workers from late October blocked New Zealand's overseas trade, especially agricultural exports. There was violence on the wharves between striking union members and non-unionist strikebreakers, and the Commissioner of Police decided to enrol special constables, known as 'Specials'. Many of these 'Specials' were recruited from rural areas, and hundreds came to the port cities, especially Auckland and Welllington, mounted on horseback. Violent clashes between them and strikers in Wellington at the end of October led to the mounted specials being called 'Massey's Cossacks' (a reference to the Prime Minister, W.G. Massey, who was determined to defend the interests of farmers and employers, and the use of mounted Cossack troops to crush strikes in Russia).

Less well remembered are the 'Foot Specials', who were unmounted special constables recruited mainly from the cities. by early November, over 800 'foot specials' were enrolled in Wellington. Many were public servants, others were business and professional men who were used to guard wharves and government buildings.

A report in the 'Evening Post' newspaper on 7 November describes how a squad of clerks recruited as armed with 'short stout' batons were undergoing military drill behind the closed gates of the Government Buildings.

This is one of the batons issued to the Wellington 'Foot Specials'. After the strike ended, it was presented to Mrs Mabel Goldie in appreciation for her work cooking for the 'specials'.