GROCERY ORDERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 137, 22 March 1935, Page 5

GROCERY ORDERS.

ISSUE MADE TO WOMEN. COUNCIL CHAMBER BESIEGED. (Special to the ‘‘Guardian/’) ! ’ CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The trouble which arose at the relief depot in Tuarn Street oil Wednesday night, when a siege was conducted by a group of women numbering foi ty, had a mild recurrence yesterday. Between 10 and 11 a.m. the women, some of whom were concerned in Wednesday’s disturbance, massed themselves outside the door of • the depot demanding to be admitted and calling out for rations. Eventually the director (Mr A. B. Macintosh) consented to hear a deputation which, placed the women s demauds before him. Mr Macintosh replied that the resources of the depot were already heavily taxed and. it was not possible to grant any further relief. The deputation then reported to- the women outside, and the group moved off to the City Council Chambers where the municipal conference was in session. A strong squad of police was guarding the main entrance and the women came to a halt on the footpath. Two of their number suddenly broke out. from the midst of the group and managed to slip through into the building. They shouted a demand to see the Mayor and for rations and were about to force their way up the stairs to the Council Chamber* when they were seized by two constables and firmly but gently put out of the building. A small cr'owd had formed in. the street by this time and'was taking an interest' in the proceedings, but the arrival of the Black Maria put many of them to flight. Apparently some of the bystanders had more of an interest in what was going on than that of mere spectators, for the arrival of the -wellknown police van was taken as a sign to rapidly off the scene. There was somewhat of an anti-climax therefore, when the Black Maria stopped outside a. cycle shop, picked up a bicycle and moved off quite unconcerned as to what was going on in the street. " , Meantime the Deputy-Mayor (the Rev. J. K.. Archer) had been hearing the claims of a deputation from the women. After listening to what they had to say, Mr Archer stated that it had been decided to issue to all of them half-crown orders for groceries. Mr Archer also undertook to approach the Municipal Relief Association with a view to seeing if additional rations could not he supplied. The women, with their children and their -perambulators, then went peacefully away and the remnants of the crowd moved off.