disorder.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 8

disorder.

ROWDY MEETING. ■& MAN KNOCKED OUT. WOMEN TO THE ATTACK. TWO ARRESTS MADE. (B.v Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Disorderly scenes, culminating in the arrest of two, men, were witnessed as a preliminary to a meeting held at the Trades Hall last night to consider the future administration of the Christchurch branch of the National Unemployed Workers' Movement. One man who .entered the room a few minutes after the opening of the proceedings was knocked flat 011 his back before lie had time to find himself a seat. His wife and two companions, who witnessed the blow, rushed into the fray, and in an exceedingly lively and unconventional manner avenged the man who had been struck while he was still struggling back from the obscure and silent realms of unconsciousness to the more real and more rowdy scenes of his immediate surroundings. ' The 1 ii.gleader of the row ly faction was a (nan wlio lias- had 110 official association with the for over 12 months. He, it was alleged, was responsible for the- assaults, and he had a bodyguard who were obviously ready to take a hand inunediately any attempt was made upon their leader. Their hands were stayed while the three women lashed the man with their tongues and their lists, but their attitude forboded trouble for any others who felt an urge to take an active part. The meeting was attended by 150 members of the movement. The majority had bec.ll warned that an attempt would be made by the ■ Communistic element to sabotage the meeting, and it was only by the exercise of the greatest restraint by the soberminded majority during the decidedly lively prelude to the meeting that saved a general riot.

Torrent of Abuse, Assaults were deliberately made" upon two men with the object of provoking further disorder, and when this failed others came in for a torrent of abuse couched in language of a most lurid order. After a stormy interval Mr. H. Glanville, secretary of the local Communist party, was appointed to tlie chair. The minute secretary, Mr. K. Burgess, then | declined to act. He was a member of the retiring- executive and his refusal to take any official part in the meeting' brought him in for abuse, and later an attack was made upon him by a man who had been responsible for much of the disorder. After further noisy outbreaks, the leadership of the local Communists was acclaimed. Nominations were called to fill 12 vacancies on the executive, but only seven were filled. The remaining vacancies will remain open for six weeks, at the end of which time nominations will close, and the new executive will set about the work of reorganising the inovenrent in accordance with its Communistic policy.