AT THE GATES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1932, Page 11

AT THE GATES

A WALL OF POLICE

QUIET DISPERSAL

A procession of about 200 unemployed, including many youths and several wellknown Communists, .inarched from Vivian street to Parliament House gates last night. Beyond flic... throwing of one stone,.there was in the subsequent proceedings no suggestion of disordorliuess, and within twenty minutes the crowd had. been dispersed. The situation was handled with' admirable tact by Police Inspector. J. * Lander, who was in charge of the body of police present. No - special constables attended.

Ever since the outbreak of disorder in Auckland the authorities iv Wellington, while not anticipating trouble, have left nothing to chance, and for over a week have been iv readiness to deal with any disturbance should one unfortunately arise. Each day and night has ushered in fresh rumour of impending trouble, and even, although official credence has not been. given to every story that went the rounds, the protective forces, have already stood'by on two occasions. It was town talk late yesterday afternoon that Parliament ■House would be the scene of a demonstration last night, and the authorities took no risks.

Leaying Vivian street at about 7.30, the procession, which at the outside consisted of 200 men and' youths and.an occasional woman, marched through the town-with no semblance of order, and arrived twenty minutes later'in the Wide and well-lighted space at the entrance gates; of Parliament House. There the procession halted, and there it stayed. The gates were wide open, but the crowd,did riot move. Six constables were strung across the entrance, and Inspector Lander moved quietiv forward and informed the leaders of the procession that they cOuld hot enter the grounds. .:'/:'; A halfhearted boo'was raised, and, a section of the, crowd swung towards the side of the grounds facing Bowon street.. As quickly thirty constables who had been concealed by the trees on the raised bank appeared on the cefping which.skirts the enclosure,, and six mounted constables carrying long batons and under the charge of. a sergeant cantered down the drive and pulled up within ten yards of the gates, and there remained. It Was a manoeuvre that the demonstrators' Had riot counted on, and it had its effect.

One of the leaders interrupted the booing by mounting the parapet. Calling for order, he informed , tho-' two hundred that the police would not allow tho processionists to' enter the grounds, and ui-g'ed his followers: to follow the advice of the policß;'in'speetor and disperse. ' ' "

"Make it snappy," . counselled Inspector Lander, as the orator proceeded to invite.'the unemployed" to attend a rally at the Basin Keserve next Sunday. 'As. tlie spokesman resumed, a stone thrown by.a woman dropped over the; inspector's shoulder. .~

"Here, cut• that out!" commanded the speaker. "Wo-want none of that. All we want is £oo&, shelter, and clothing." ■'' ''"■"■ ;• ; "■'■".'• ' '■ After a few more •words, the man, again counselled by ihe;'iiispector to cut his remarks short, ;jum.pecl' to the ground and.mingled aniong' the onlookers. '." The police remained for a while on the bank, and then, headed by Inspector Lander, some of the force moved among the crowd, and the process of dispersing it commenced. • The mounted guard withdrew. Within twenty.minutes of the arnaral of;'th'e denionstratprs^Lambton qu's/was again lioinial', aiid^in.1 another .ten minutes even the sightseers had made themselves, scarce; /