PREPARATIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20523, 16 April 1932, Page 16

PREPARATIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

POLICE ACTIVE. NO SPECIAL ORGANISATION. Although the Minister for Unemployment (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) declared in a statement that special organisations were being formed in the various centres to resist similar outbreaks by the unemployed, there is yet no sign in Christcliureh of any organisation outside the police force. The police force is prepared to meet a similar situation should it arise. Although the measures taken have not l>een disclosed, it is known that a number of constables on leave have been recalled and that arrangements have been made for the full strength of the force to be quickly available in any emergency. Inspector A. Cameron stated yesterday that the possibility of the riot spirit spreading from Auckland had not, been overlooked by the police. The situation in regard to demonstrations by the unemployed 111 Ghristchureh was veil in hand. The possibility of an unruly outbreak- had been investigated, but the Inspector was not disposed to disclose his plans. The civic authorities have no instructions. dunedin demonstration. ONE MAN SENT TO GAOL. (PRBS3 ASSOCIATION TEI-BJRAII.) DUNEDIN, April 15. AValtcr Finjay Do re was charged in the Magistrate's Court to-dav with being a rogue and vagabond in that he was found armed with a bludgeon with felonious intent. The police said that accused had been taking part in some unemployed processions. He was seen by detectives to have something protruding under bis coat. On being intercepted be was found with a stout wooden stick in bis possession. There bad been considerable agitation among thoso inciting the unemployed to resist the police. Kvidentlv that was the reason why Dnre carried the stick, a lather formidable baton. He did not use the stick, but some of the unemployed were known to be carrying weapons to resist arrest. The Magistrate imposed a sentence of one month's imprisonment,. Arthur Waters, aged L'B, a New /enlander, was charged with inciting lawlessness. He wa« remanded in custody till next Wednesday. The police, in opposing bail, said that accused wns a man of riotous conduct. He took part in an unemployed demonstration on April 11th. Nothing occurred in Dunedin to-day to indicate that any desire remained among a section of the unemployed to continue the disturbances of the past week. The situation was perfectly quiet, and a very small number of unemployed who gathered in front of the. Town Hall in the morning dispersed after only a short wait.

Ballot on No. 5 Scheme. After tho relief works had been declared "black" as a sequel to the disturbance at the Hospital Board's office on Mondny night, a number of men approached the Mayor (Mr K. 8. Black) and expressed the opinion that if a ballot were taken the great majority of the men would express their willingness to continue working. The Mayor agreed to tako a ballot, and to-day voting papers were handed to each of the 866 men engaged during tho day on works under No. 5 Scheme. No fewer than 703 of them replied "Yes" and only 00 answered "No," whilo 73 elected to express no opinion. Tho overwhelming majority in favour of work being continued indicated that the general feeling coincided with that of one man who wrote on the back of his paper: "Work, and as much more of it as I can get. A vote for 'mum'." MELBOURNE RIOT. CITY RAVAGED. RESULT OF POLICE STRIKE. The riot at Auckland recalls that which occurred in Melbourne on Saturday, November 3rd, 1923, but on the earlier ocfta&ion tho damage done amounted to a round sum of £1,000,000. The riot was a result of tho City being deprived of adequate protection because of the strike of tho Melbourne Police Force. On the day preceding tho riot the Force was absolutely deploted, the few who remained loyal being subjected to humiliation by pickets, who argued with them openly in the streets while they were on traffic and other duty. Negotiations for a settlement were opened, and at one stage it was left to the men to resume unconditionally. Later tho Premier came out with the definite announcement that all mutineers would bo dismissed and would in uo circumstances be reinstated. Disgraceful Scenes. On Saturday afternoon and evening tho full consequences of tho action of the police were made manifest by the most disgraceful scenes which have ever been witnessed in an Australian city, and which were comparable only with scenes of revolution. By 5 o'clock it was clear that tho situation was getting out of hand. The shouting and disorderly grovps had swollen to crowds, which the oncoming night emboldened. What police there were were kicked and stoned, and anyone who took their part was brutally assaulted. Soon the crash of glass in Swanston street- attracted a great congregation there, and in a few moments the contents of the windows of the Leviathan Clothing Company, at the corner of Bourlce and Swanston streets, were being tossed into the crowd. From then onwards the centre of the City was a scene of unrestrained riot. Pitched battles were in progress on all hands, and on no provocation men found themselves atta,cked by hooligans with sticks and empty bottles. A small party of bluejackets from the ships of the fleet which were then in Melbourne attempted to restrain a section of the crowd in front of one of the shops in the early stages of the disturbance, but they were set upon by overwhelming numbers, felled to the ground, and beaten into insensibility. Later a patrol was hurried to the scene from the ships and had the greatest difficulty in fighting their way through to the rioters to the succour of their bleeding comrades. Women Take Part. There was an indescribable scene at the big silk house of Wassaimull, Assomul and Co., where a man deliberately stood before the windows slashing at the plate-glass with a'club-like stick. A sailor tried to intervene, and was assailed with hoots and jeers, and even spat upon. One man derisively asked him: "Do you own this shop?" When he answered, "No, but I'm going to protect private property,'' he was felled

by a blow from behind and his pros (rate body was kicked till blood ran from cruel wounds. Women, wit 1 their hats askew and their hair trai ing Avildly behind them, rushed wit 1 hysterical shrieks at the valuable wares displayed in the windows. Silks an< costly gowns were dragged out and greedily passed from hand to hand. The large iron screen before a big jewellery establishment was hackee away from its fastenings and raiders swarmed around tho shattered windows grabbing the jewels and plate on show. With hands and wrists all cut and bleeding from jagged glass they would go plunging into tho apertures and stuffing their pockets with precious loot. A trma-car in one of the streets was dragged from the line, t e conductor knocked down, and the passengers trampled upon. A clergyman among them rose and raised a Blble above his head. His pleas fell on wi and blasphemous men, and were silencer! with a blow which laid him upon tne ground. Bolshevist Orgy. The minutes between half-past 7 and 8 o'clock were devoted to a Bolshevist orgy. The plunderers concentrated upon the jewellers' and drapers' windows. The crashing of plate-glass sounded like a running salvo. Silver plate, watches, rings, men's wear, and other loot beyond enumeration were taken away. Raucous shouts and laughter marked the struggle of an urchin to get away with a clock as bulky as his body. Suddenly the crowd split and scattered all_ ways from the centre. Yells of warning intimated the return of the police. Outnumbered— almost overwhelmed as they were, they yet called a halt to the Bourkc street raids. Swinging along tho footpaths, they interrupted the looting only so long as they were within distance to cairy out rush tactics, but the half-cleared, gaping windows constantly beckoned the mob. First thero would be a surge and a savage sweep to complete the clearance of a jewellery and plate display at the Leviathan end; then would bo heard roars, hoots, and curses as the handful of police turned in their tracks and hit and thudded their way to the heart of the raid; then, having cleared the shop front momentarily, there would be renewed smashing of glass from farther along. Perhaps some sane citizen would send up a call of warning or a frenzied shop proprietor would run to a uniformed group with a verbal "5.0.5." A tall man leaped into the battered window of Danibrell's jewellery establishment, a gleaming revolver in his hand. With agile feet and a flailing left arm he routed the scum and leap; ing after them with pistol outthrust this way and that he cleared and held flue footpath clear. Twice he was rushed by groups armed with bottles, byt he retreated to his window and V e " hind its jagged edges held off his foes. Orgy Renewed. The orgy was quickly renewed, and men debouched from the Bourke street centre to dash for the Monte dc Piete. liings, watches, jewellery of every description' were greedily seized by tho rioters, who were able to continue their depredations without interruption. It was seven minutes after the dastardly work had begun when the police, having been urgently apprised of the new development, swept along Bourke street on the run. The siege was raised barely soon enough to prevent, tho demolition of the doorway and the complete wrecking of the premises. Remarkable work was accomplished by the police in hastening the clearance of the City. The throngs had become considerably expanded between halfpast 10 and 11 o'clock, when theatre and picture house patrons were discharged into the streets. The intersection of Swanston and Bourke streets was tho main rallying place for the mob, which at a quarter past 11 had again assumed dangorous dimensions. Reinforcements of "specials" wore arriving continually, and tho mob jeerod just as wildly as ever. When the loyalists patrolled the riot area once more it became necessary for them to clear the packed thoroughfare. • Batons were used to persuade tardy movers. With such congestion there was bound to be some casualties. Some : men went down bc/ore the thuds of the) ; batons, some women and girls got underfoot and were heard shrieking. With a charge or two further and with CQn- : stant admonition, the unruly folk and the "sightseers were hustled, at last, homewards.

Although 2000 special police succeeded in maintaining order in the City the following night, there were outbreaks of -iolence in the suburbs, particularly in North and Weat Melbourne.