TWO HUNDRED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1932, Page 14

TWO HUNDRED.

"MARCH ON PARLIAMENT."

PROCESSION A FIASCO,

ADMIRABLE WORK BY POLICE.

(By Telegraph. -*- Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLIXGTOX, Tuesday.

An attempt by a procession of about 200 unemployed, including many youths and several well-known Communists, to march on Parliament House ended tonight in utter failure, the climax having a quite Gilbertian touch. There -was no suggestion of disorder, and within 20 minutes the crowd had been dispersed. The situation was handled with admirable tact by Police Inspector J. Lander, and the outcome was a tribute to the complete organisation of the police.

Ever since the outbreak of disorder in Auckland, the authorities in Wellington, while not anticipating trouble, have left nothing to chance, and for over a week have been in readiness to deal with any disturbance should it arise. ]S"o protarin-' enco has been given to the precautionary measures taken, hut the city has been quietly confident. Each day and night lias ushered in a fresh rumour of impending trouble, and even although official credence has not been given to every story that went the rounds, the protective forces have already been called oil twice to "stand by." Taking No Risks. It was town talk late this afternoon that Parliament House would to-night bo the scone of a demonstration, and the authorities took no risks. Even tlic time of the arrival of the procession, 7.30 p.m , was public property, but the real surprise was the one the demonstrators received. Leaving Vivian Street about 7.30, the procession which, at the most, consisted of 200 men and youths, and a few women, marched through the town with no semblance of ordered formation, and arrived 20 minutes later in the wide and well-lighted space at the entrance gates of Parliament House. There it halted, and there it stayed. A cordon of six constables was flung across the entrance, and Inspector Lander moved quietly forward and informed the leaders of the procession that they could not enter the grounds. A half-hearted "boo" was raised, and a section of the crowd swung towards the side of the grounds facing Bowen Street. .Immediately 30 constables, who had been concealed by trees on the raised bank, appeared on the coping which skirts the enclosure, and six mounted constables, carrying long batons, and under the charge of a sergeant, cantered down the drive and pulled up within ten yards of the gates. "Make It Snappy." It was a manoeuvre the demonstrators had not counted on, and it had it> effect. One of the leaders interrupted the booing by mounting the parapet and calling for order. He informed the 200 demonstrators that the police would not allow the procession to enter the grounds. He urged his followers to adopt ithe advice of the police inspector and disperse. "Make it snappy," counselled Inspector Lander, as the orator proceeded to invite the unemployed "in their thousands" to attend a rally at the Basin Reserve next Sunday. As the spokesman resumed, n stone, thrown by a woman, dropped over the inspector's shoulder. '■Here, cut that out,'' commanded the speaker, "we want none of that. All we want is food, shelter and clothing. Wc don't want any trouble." After a few more words the man was again-counsel led by the inspector lo cut his remarks short'. He jumped to the ground and joined the onlookers. The police remained for a while on the bank, and then, headed by Inspector Lander, some of them moved among the crowd and began dispersing it. The mounted guard withdrew, and within 20 minutes of the arrival of the demonstrators, Lambton Quay had again become normal. In another 10 minutes even the sightseers had made themselves scarce. The procession was dealt with by the police alone, no special constables being present.