THE RECENT DISTURBANCES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 91, 18 April 1932, Page 6

THE RECENT DISTURBANCES

(To the Editor.)

Sir—Everyone with any sense oi fair play must be nauseated by the Government Opposition's attempt to make party capital out of.the recent rioti in Auckland. Admittedly genuine."unemployed" were present, but,. from Press . accounts, it would appear that the actual rioting and looting was,confined.to .'the: hooligan ele^ ment, eomV of .those arrested being old offenders. If, as the Opposition allege, it was a-"food.riot," then the rioters musthave the digestion of ostriches. . It might be advisable for ,the s Labour J.MJ.'i to realise that the, very .vast majority of the "unemployed",are. nothing:more or; less than honest men out of a job, and that' they arc-as little capable of looting and rioting as the honourable members .them-, selves. I doubt whether-their supporters will be any too pleased at being tarred with the hooligan^ brush'; by their own members. The present times would appear to call for a tightening up of supervision over cheap-jack agitators arid their activities. A little more dieplay. of a genu-'. me intention to help the country in lieu of petty, party" obstructionist tactics would go tar to alleviate the pr'esentrday distress. —I am, etc., : "."-.■'■"■■. ■;.■"■..■' :: /.OUT^OP A;JOB. i

Referring to the recent disturbances, a correspondent ("N.Z.") inquires if it .is possible for the authorities to ascertain how many New Zealanders were actually concerned in promoting social strife, and whether.the trouble is not fostered by outsiders.. The correspondent, who 7-is a working man,.asserts... that the authorities should keep careful;watch.oh {.he- activities of some of the "people" who ha've'.no.-_clajml to call themselves New Zealanders;-" : ~ Another . correspondent '("M7'<)'. states that there is a very insidious campaign being conducted regarding single men and camps. The correspondent states: '^Manifestly the . real reason why the camps for single, men are not a bucceus is because the agitators desire to keep the young, Irresponsible, and easily swayed members of the community under their influence. The reports of the Auckland riots clearly show that the looting, destruction, and vandalism were mainly the acts of young hoodlums. What the Communists fear ia that by. going out into camps ', where they are k«?j?t under some discipline, are being taught something useful, and are being kept as well as earning from 10s a week upwards, the young men may become useful members of the community."