STILL TENSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 121, 24 May 1932, Page 7

STILL TENSE.

BOMBAY SITUATION. some Improvement, But Bitter Feeling Prevails. OFFICIAL CASUALTY LIST. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, May 23. The situation at Bombay has greatly improved, and is so well in land that all auxiliary forces have jeen disembodied, and the _ withdrawal has begun of military pickets. Further sporadic outbreaks are still possible, as the communal feeling which llways runs high in Bombay is aggra- | tilted by the continuance of political tension and the cmbitterment caused by the economic conditions. Although the position cannot he reported as absolutely stable, there are signs of a return to normal conditions, and the mill liands who are oil strike show an increasing tendency to return to work. In the House of Commons, Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary for India, said the rioting was not organised and did not take the form of clashcs between consideriible bodies but consisted of surprise uttacks 011 temples, mosques or shops md murderous attacks by gangs of both communities. The casualties were mostly inflicted in isolated encounters, many being stabbing cases, and the gangs dispersed rapidly 011 the approach of patrols, who found'the streets empty on their arrival. The curfew order arid the order prohibiting assemblies, together with the establishment of military and police posts, prevented the formation of large bodies. The combing out by the police and military of bad characters who have been placed in an emergency gaol stopped the looting and incendiarism. By the end of last week the casualties numbered 130 dead and 1040 injured. In the mill area, where serious trouble was threatened, pickets and patrols prevented large clashes, and the mill operatives, who censed work at 49 mills 011 Thursday, began to return, so that on Saturday only 14 were closed. The position has continued to improve, but the Bombay Government will not relax its intensive precautions until order is completely re-established. Asked whether the Congress volunteers who claimed to control the Hindu population had actively supported the Government in restoring law and order, Sir Samuel Hoare replied that so far from being a help they had been in certain cases a public danger, and in all cases a public nuisance.