ANTI-MILITARISTS AT THE SHOW.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8408, 9 November 1912, Page 2

ANTI-MILITARISTS AT THE SHOW.

An Act of " Desecration."

It will be recalled that trouble arose at last year's Metropolitan Show at Aldington as a consequence of the distribution of anti-militarist literature on'the" Show Grounds by the National Poaco Council, and that a. Court case ensued. This year the National Peace Council did not have a centre on the Show Grounds from which to distribute its literature, but rented a vacant section to the right of the main entrance to the grounds. Hero tents were erected and a supply of literature was deposited . Early yesterday morning—a quarter of an hour after midnight—a party of young fellows descended on the encampment, and are alleged to have done things of an illegal character. '•-...■

The statements made- to a representative of the "Press" by Mr C. R. M. Mackie, of the Peace "Council, and by Mr Worrall, secretary of the Passive Registers' Union were-, in effect, that at the time mentioned three motor cars, in which there were said to have been between fifteen and twenty young men, arrived, and the young men'who found no difficulty in gaining access to the enclosure, proceeded to take dov/n a bell tent in which were sleeping six youths, to whom had been deputed the duty of guarding the- National Peace Council s literature and belongings. lhe arrivals by the motor cars did not molest tho boys, but gave them to understand that " resistance would be useless," and went on with tho work of dismantling the .tent and the reI moving o f a sign, both of-which they took away with them. In the meantime two of the boys had been sent off to acquaint the police with particulars <h tho affair, and another was told off to get the registered numbers of the motor cars. Sir Worrall stated ■ that they possessed further information regarding tho affair, but as the matter was in the hands of the police, he did not consider it advisable to disclose it or indicate its nature. .