CLASH WITH POLICE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 12

CLASH WITH POLICE

COMMUNISTS ACTIVE

SCENE AT PARLIAMENT

■ For the. first time during tho present industrial situation in Wellington the forces-of law and order and those representative of tho advocates of direct action clashed to-day, when tho Communists: attempted to force their way into the Parliamentary Grounds. A strong body, of police was present, and held the. demonstrators in check. Three arrests were made.

A procession of between 150 and 200 unemployed under the- banner of the Communist Party left Vivian street shortly after 10.30 this morning for Parliament Buildings, where they intended ■to interview the Minister of Laboui\ The procession through the streets was orderly, and it was not until the gates to the Parlimeutary Grounds were reached. that there was any indication of ; trouble. The police, profiting, from experience,-were strongly in evidence,, and at no time did the situation become but of, hand. ■ ■. : - .

. The entire procession wanted to enter the.grounds, but .permission''to'do. so was refused, whereupon the gates were rushed. This Was the signal for the, free use of fists, in which the police came off easily the better, and it was not long before tho first rush 'was stemmed. In ' the meantime, a large number of the domonstrators. had. got over the low walls and made their way into-the-grounds, besotting the police from the rear. These intruders "were summarily dealt with and the grounds were cleared. No- batons were, used by the;p.olice, whose hands proved more than a match for the demonstrators.

Stones-aiid other objects were thrown fcy'■■members of the procession,' which Included' several women, but their effort was more or less half-hearted. One man,; it is stated, made his way unobserved ■ through the crowd and with a Jcnife damaged 'two tires of the police ■van, which, had been brought to the scene to transfer the arrested men to the police station. In spito of the fact that the police quickly asaumed the upper hand against the v crowd that rushed the gates, it was some time before, order .was restored.

During the scuffle a message had been sent] to the House of-Representa-tives' to Mr. P.jPrascr, M.P.,- who arrived, on the scene. As a result of nego T tiations, a.'deputation of) six, including women,' was admitted to the grounds and proceeded.to interview the Minister of Labour. . The crowd -waited for a considerable time for the membe-rs of ,the deputation to return, arid then gradually dispersed. The police, however, continued to ■-keep a watchful eye on the situation. \- -■'.•■'■■ '-;.'■ ' ,