BIG CROWD IN SQUARE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 10

BIG CROWD IN SQUARE

No Incidents On

Saturday

A large crowd milled round in the north-western section of Cathedral square on Saturday evening where there was a large number of uniformed police, as well as some in plain clothes, on duty. Army provosts in white belts also moved among the crowd watching the soldiers who were on leave. There were no incidents.

The footpaths from the northern entrance to Cathedral square to Worcester street west were thronged with bystanders between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. They watched groups of gaudily dressed youths who were constantly moved on by the police.

Mostly the youths drifted away as the police approached, but a few ignored the polite requests not to loiter until they were firmly ordered to move on. The crowds of onlookers did not make the work of the police any easier. When these persons were also moved on some of them showed resentment.

A good deal of amusement was caused by three soldiers who stood on one corner with their caps tilted down over their eyes and their fists clenched at their sides.

The crowds lingered on until lust before 8 p.m. and then began to disperse quickly to the theatres.

Two Alsatian dogs were confused by many of the crowd with police dogs. One had been brought to town by his master “for moral effect” and the other was not much more than a pup held on a leash by a woman. The police were in charge of Chief Inspector C. H. Reardon, who is shortly to take charge of the Timaru Police District.