SPANISH ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 7

SPANISH ELECTION.

Riot and Bloodshed at First Polls Since 1923. " COMPARATIVELY QUIET." (Received 1 p.m.) MADRID, June 28. The first general election since 1923 is being held to-day to elect a Constituent Assembly, whose duty will be to settle the constitution and deal with other pressing problems. Despite "fears that anything might happen, the elections passed off comparatively quietly. The most serious incident was at Barcelona, where two electors were shot dead. Strong forces of police and civil guards patrolled the streets. Priests, who, the mob alleged, were trying to buy votes for Catholic candidates in the vestibule of a church in Madrid, narrowly escaped lynching. Several were injured in rioting at Malaya. A message from Seville says a revolt, headed by Major Franco, broke out this morning among the members of the Air Force at the Tablada aerodrome, at which there were many airmen from all over the country. Troops from Seville later marched on the aeivdrome and the rebels were disarmed. Major Franco directed the revolt from his bed. He has been dismissed from hie post of Chief of the Spanish Air Force, for counter-revolutionary activity. The prompt nipping in the bud of the Air Force rebellion undoubtedly prevented serious bloodshed. There are more than 2000 candidates for 470 seats, and 24 political groups are represented. It is expected that it will be 24 or 36 hours before the national results can be tabulated.