Peacemakers9 Club raided again

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 1

Peacemakers 9 Club raided again

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 18. Police raided the Peacemakers’ Club in Symonds Street, Auckland, today for the third time in three months and found nothing but a water-logged canvas bag in the bottom of an old floor safe.

r The discovery of the bag ■ soon after 3 p.m. came as a i climax to an intensive police ■ search of the club premises : which began at 10.45 ajn. • About 20 policemen, some I wearing overalls and. carrying : crowbars, had searched every part of the building, includ- ! ing the roof, for firearms. Uniformed constables stood f guard at die entrances at the 1 front and rear of the club. - i About 12.45 pan., the club . manager (Mr J. Hayward) • arrived with three friends. “What’s this, a circus?” he

asked radio and newspaper reporters watching the police search from the entrance to the alley.

Leaving the club later, accompanied by Dr P. w. Hohepa, the chairman of the Auckland District Maori Council, Mr Hay-ward said he was tired of the attention the police were giving the club. He said the police had discovered a floor safe, and had called in an expert to open it He had known about the safe, but no-one knew how to open it. He denied that there were any firearms on the premises . Rifles confiscated by the police in an earlier raid on the club were his property, and had been returned, Mr Hayward said.

Dr Hohepa, who arrived at the club soon after the search began, congratulated the police on their thoroughness. They had searched everything—bottles, billiard tables and even band instruments, he said.

He said there had been three police raids since the club was opened three months ago. Nothing had been found. Now Dr Hohepa has invited

the public of Auckland to visit the Peacemakers Club tomorrow to judge for itself. The Minister of Maori and Island Affairs (Mr MacIntyre) and the Mayor of Auckland (Sir Dove-Myer Robinson) have also been invited. Dr Hohepa said he was certain that Mr Maclntyre would consider the club to be one way in which Polynesian migrants to Auckland could be helped. Inspector M. D. Cummings, in charge of the search, said later today that about 20 policemen had gone to the club. They were searching for weapons—4n particular, an automatic weapon, a Luger pistol, and four revolvers. The police had a search warrant, issued this morning

i by a Justice of the Peace. , The warrant had been sought because the police ’ had reasonable grounds to 1 suspect weapons were on the ■ premises. Asked to comment on a ■ statement by Dr Hohepa that the club was being harrassed, Inspector Cum- ; mings said: “That is just not . correct.” , Referring to a gang brawl . on May 29, following which I the police have now raided the Peacemakers Club three , times, Inspector Cummings I said it had been a very I serious disturbance which in- > volved firearms and offensive j weapons. , "We will carry out our in--1 quiries until we are satisfied ’ that . all-- those who comi mitted serious: offences are ; apprehended,” he said.