A little riot in British Honduras aptly illustrates the kind
of ferocity which all Labour disputes nowadays seem to pro- voke, The Government of that Colony has abolished silver currency in favour of gold, the old currency being treated as worth only half its face-value, which is, we imagine, scientifi- cally accurate. The cutters of logwood and mahogany refused, however, to accept that valuation ; and on the contractors persisting, wrecked their offices, and subse- quently stormed the police-station, to rescue their comrades imprisoned for the wrecking. It was necessary, when the offices were attacked, to land sailors and marines, and threaten to fire, whereupon the crowd dispersed ; but the rescue occurred afterwards, and troops have been sent from Jamaica to restore order. The occurrence is an unfortunate one ; for while order must always be maintained, we do not doubt that the cutters believed they had a most serious grievance. Gold is worth twice as much as silver in Belize ; but will it buy twice as much in the far interior where these men pass a large part of their lives P We are quite sure the Government in India or Ceylon would not venture to pay troops accustomed to silver, in gold, at half-rates, though the silver is in India and Ceylon scientifically "worth" half its old gold value. The unlucky cutters were not going to buy gold in Belize, but bread and liquor in the forest.
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