LONDON RIOTING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 16, 29 October 1932, Page 5

LONDON RIOTING

SEVENTY-SEVEN CASUALTIES. NAIL-STUDDED ASH STAVES. DISCOVERY IN A LORRY. •v HOOLIGANS MOSTLY BLAMED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 8.40 a.m.) (LONDON, October .28. In the House of Commons the Secretary of State for Home Affairs (Sir John Gilmour) said that 12 arrests had been made. Nineteen police and 58 demonstrators were injured in the disturbances, in which iron bolts were thrown at the police, Avhq found in a motor-lorry 150 ash staves, some of which were studded with nails.

MISSILES FOUND IN LORRIES. GREAT FORBEARANCE OF POLICE (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, October 28. In his statement in the House of Commons, Sir John Gilmour said that the unemployed contingent from Lancashire was accompanied by a lorry. When the police searched it they found 154 ash sticks, some with nails protruding. The presence of such weapons could only be deliberate. Another njotor van somehow, obtained entrance to the park. The police saw cudgels unloaded from it. This van also contained stocks. .Missiles found after the disturbance included iron bolts and stones, an 18-inch jemmy and an open clasp-knife. The police behaved with great forbearance and shepherded people ini the streets with care, continued Sir John Gilinour. They conducted them in the evening to places of shelter. The greater part of these difficulties had not been caused by the genuine, .unemployed. (Cheers.)

OFFENDERS BEFORE THE COURT APPARENTLY ALL LONDONERS. (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 28. As a sequel to the disorderly episodes connected with the Hyde Parle demonstration, 14 men appeared in London police courts on various charges. With two exceptions all * gave London addresses, and apparently did not take part in the march to London from various parts of the country. Two were sentenced to six months hard labour for assaulting the police, and fines of £5 and £1 respectively were imposed on two others for obstructing the... police. One prisoner was discharged, and the remainder were remanded. —-British. Official Wireless.

MAINLY ORDERLY. CROWD IN HYDE PARK. ) UNTRULY ELEMENTS OUTSIDE. LONDON, October 27. The unemployed processions to-day were led by the police through the London thoroughfares and converged on Hyde Park. Such a large crowd awaited them that the police had <to force a way for them to the places where the meetings were to be held. There many speakers, mounted on carts, addressed the crowd. In the main the. proceedings were orderly and good - tempered, although minor disturbances occurred outside the park, near the Marble Arch, where the police had to draiv batons and clear the road of the unruly elements, who started throwing stones. Half-a-dozen police and demonstrators received minor injuries, and several onlookers were hurt through the pressure of the crowd. After the meeting the main body of marchers left Hyde Park in an orderly fashion. They had remained listening to the speakers and had taken no part in the disorder outside the park. The newspapers generally correctly stress the significance of the disorders. The hooliganism in Hyde Park and in the neighbourhood is likely tosbe exaggerated abroad. Actually it was not serious. .... “The Times” says that the publicity value of rioting is “thoroughly understood by the organisers of these senseless demonstrations under the name ot. hunger-marchers, which implies a state of starvation. No one in England will be allowed to perish through hunger.The “Morning Post” says: “The conduct of the genuine unemployed both on the march and at the demonstration gave little cause for complaint, though the hammer and sickle on the banners suggest power behind a wellorganised display. These hapless unemployed were set in motion by <i h*ind skilful in making trouble.” v The “Daily Telegraph” says that neither this nor any other demonstration will affect the truth that provision for the unemployed in this countiv is far more generous than in any other.

PETITION TO THE COMMONS. plea’ TO RECEIVE DEPUTATION. LONDON, October 27. In the House of Commons Mr George Lansbury (Leader of the Opposition) asked that time might be saved on the

remaining stages of the Ottawa Agreements Bill so that unemployment might he discussed, and the Prime Minister (Mr Ramsay MacDonald) undertook that if possible this should bo done. Other Labour members requested leave to move the adjustment of the House to discuss this subject, in view of the arrival of the unemployed demonstrators in London. * The Speaker said he was unable to accept the motion, as the Government had promised to bring in a Bill dealing with the “means test,” which dealt with the unemployment problem. He advised members that the correct course was the presentation of a petition to the House of Commons asking permission for a deputation from the unemployed marchers to appear at the Bar of the House to present their case. This advice is being followed and the petition, will he presented early next week.