PETITION GONE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 261, 3 November 1932, Page 7

PETITION GONE.

MARCHERS BALKED.

Document Taken By Police from Station Cloakroom. DEPOSITED FOE SAFETY. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph— Copyright) (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, November 2. _ It is now disclosed that the millionsignature petition, which the marchers yesterday attempted to lodge in the House of Commons, was.deposited in the cloakroom at the Charing, Cross station when the deputation was turned back. The marchers to-day presented their receipt and asked for the return of the petition, but were informed that the police had called last night and confiscated the document. There was pandemonium at Fulham workhouse, where the London County Council is housing and feeding 600 marchers at a cost of £150 a day. Casual inmates resented the marchers being allowed to buy rump steak and tobacco to supplement the rations, and demanded their inclusion in the ordinary rations. They refused to do their tasks. Police numbering 140 arrived and arrested 50, of whom 17 were charged with refusing to work. . Paying the Penalty. Several of the hunger march demonstrators appeared on various charges at Bow Street. A one-armed man named Edward James, was sentenced to six months' hard labour for throwing a bottle and striking a trooper with a block of wood. John Gellately, who walked from Edinburgh, was also given six months for striking a constable with a stave and inciting the crowd to rush the police. Following yesterday's demonstrations policemen protected and shepherded crowds leaving the theatres at night. In one case some men and women in evening dress were surrounded, threatened and abused by demonstrators, who were speedily dispersed. Shelter for the Marchers. All was quiet at midnight and the police were withdrawn. About 50 arrests were made. One policeman in the Strand was injured through being kicked and had to be sent to hospital. The 2000 unemployed marchers who came to London from different parts of the country last week are being provided with food and shelter by public authorities. Sir Cyril Cobb, chairman of the London County Council's Public Assistance Committee, testifies to their good behaviour in the institutions where they have been lodged. The authorities also agree that they have conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the demonstrations. In accordance with the usual custom the unemployed have been given permission to hold meetijigs in Hyde Park and' Trafalgar Square, and the disturbances attending those' gatherings without doubt were caused by local hooligans, who used the presence of unwieldy crowds to provoke trouble. It is understood that the marchers on completing their programme of demonstrations will, in the course of the next few days, return by train to their homes. The general impression is that the marchers have been misled into their pointless effort by. a few hot-heads. The widest public sympathy is felt for the genuine unemployed, but some criticism has. been levelled at the authorities for allowing too much latitude in connection with the demonstrations which have served to obetruct the London traffic on two occasions.