MARCH TO THE CITY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1932, Page 14

MARCH TO THE CITY

BUTT VALLEY DEMON-

STRATION

QUIET AND ORDERLY

In accordance with the plans of the leaders of the relief work strikers at Lower Hutt, Petone, and Eastbourne, the men, and a fair number of women, some with children in arms, gathered early- this morning at Lower Hutt and Petone. At Lower Hutt a procession of about 200 formed up in fours, sonlS at the last minute deciding that the long tramp ; Was not worth the candle and remaining as spectators. With banners and slogan,' aloft the procession marched to Petone, gathering recruits on the way, and fell in behind the Petone parade, of about 250, headed by a brass band of unemployed men, down Jaekstm street, and out on the seven mile stretch 'to Thorndon. Of tho womenfolk about fifty decided to continue, and they were accommodated in two lorries fitted with temporary seats. , .

Off and oh the band tuned up, but for most of the long tramp the men marched'"easy," with banners furled. Once started the 500 men stuck to it, and when at 10.40 o'clock the procession reached Thorndon Station, where the marchers were joined by a city contingent of about' 200, the Hutt men had been on the road for almost thren hours and the Petone men for two and a half hours. :

There' was no march ..to' Thorndon by the city representatives of the movement. ; As /is1 usual in all such processions, the numbers were soon swelled by people who fell* in behind, but on the whole the long line of marchers, which reached -four; abreast froni Lamb ton Station to the gates of Parliament, consisted chiefly of the unemployed. Over fifty women, some of them wheeling perambulators, formed the rearguard. No police were stationed at the gates, which were open, and the demonstrators marched quietly ur> to the steps of Parliament House, whern somo of them addressed the crowd of some three thousand people which had collected to watch the proceedings, while a deputation was admitted to interview the Prime Minister.