Rioters and Police

Evening Star, Issue 21078, 15 April 1932, Page 6

Rioters and Police

Fierce Fighting in Auckland Several Severely Injured Shops Wrecked and Rifled Damage Estimated at Thousands [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 14. Appalling rioting and looting, in which hundreds of ‘unemployed participated, occurred in Queen street to-night. Fierce fighting broke out between a section of the rioters and the police in the vicinity of the Town Hall. Stones and fence palings were freely used, and hundreds of people were treated at the Auckland Hospital for minor injuries. Three policemen were seriously injured, and at least three civilians are in hospital suffering from concussion. At least twenty arrests were made. Practically every shop window in Queen street was smashed and rifled. Jewellery, clothing, bottles of spirituous liquors, and boxes of cigars and pipes were removed by bands of lawless youths and men. The total damage to Queen street shopkeepers is estimated at about £IOO,OOO. The city’s main street resembles nothing so much as an earthquake-stricken area. The figl,. outside the Town Hall was bitter and sanguinary. The police who were patrolling the procession and guarding the entrances to the Town Hall found themselves involved in a furious melee, in which batons were used liberally. Mounted police, reinforcements of foot police, fire engines, and detachments from H.M.S. Philomel were summoned, but even these forces were unable to keep control over the many bands of rioters who marched up and down Queen street stoning windows and looting. The disorder continued hun 8 o’clock until nearly 11 o’clock. .The origin of the trouble is obscure. The Post and Telegraph employees held a procession up Queen street at 7.30 p.m. as a preliminary to a meeting in the Town Hall to protest against the wages cut. Uninvited unemployed formed a procession behind them, but the crowd which had assembled in the hall poured out and joined the throng outside.

WINDOW FRONTS SHATTERED QUEEN STREET SHOPS LOOTED JEWELLERS, DRAPERS. AND GROCERS HEAVY LOSERS [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 14. Shortly before 9 o’clock the crowd started to surge down Queen street, the first wave consisting mainly of youths bent on destruction and looting. Shop window after shop window was smashed, some with feet and others by stones thrown with deliberation from the street.

THE CASUALTIES HEAD INJURIES AND CONCUSSION AUCKLAND, April 14. During the riots many were injured, including police and civilians, several seriously. The casualties so far known are:— IN HOSPITAL. Detective S. C. Whitehead, of tho Central Police Station, head injuries and concussion; condition serious. Constable A. Hinton, mounted constable, Onehunga, head injuries and concussion; condition serious. Constable W. Cook, Central Station, head injuries and concussion; condition serious. OTHERS INJURED. Sergeant Bruce Thomson, of the waterfront police, head injury. Constable John King, Central Station, head injury. Constable R. M'Neil, Central Station, broken nose. Constable F. Solly, Central Station, injury to left eye. Constable R. Boag, mounted constable, New Lynn, scalp wound. Constable S. Audley, of the waterfront police, scalp wound. Constable L. Morgan, Central Station, injury to left eye. Constable G. Edwards, Central Station, injury to right hand. Constable J. Shields, Ponsonby Station, injury to arm. Vladimir Antonievic, aged thirty-five, married, of 42 Mount Albert road, Mount Roskill, severe cut on left hand, not serious. The names of many injured civilians are not known. AN UGLY UNDERCURRENT MANY. ARMED WITH STONES Although the rioting did not break out until some time after tho meeting in the Town Hall had commenced, it was present in its incipient stages when Aho procession was making its way up Queen street shortly after 7.30. There were irresponsibles in the crowd who had armed themselves with stones, and at intervals during the march these were hurled at windows. These incidents were scattered, but they were the harbingers of the appalling scenes which followed. When tho Civil servants who headed the procession had entered the hall the main body of unemployed, led by women in tho singing of ‘ Tho Red Flag,’ was diverted into Grey’s avenue. For a time they stood there orderly enough, listening to the opening remarks from an amplifier.

Within a few minutes the mob was intoxicated with the spirit of destruction. At each yard down the street the looting spirit increased, and by the time the lower section of Queen street was reached groups wore openly seizing goods from windows. Outside a shoe store some men were bold enough to try on the shoes they had taken from the window.

Four girls broke a jeweller’s window, seizing what came to hand. The number of stones thrown to break window's suggested premeditation, as there are no loose stones in Queen street.

Outside a small mercery shop one youth said to a mate: “What about this one? ” The reply was: “ No. Only cheap-jack stuff here. We’ll get a better window.”

Many swaggered about proudly showing handkerchiefs tied round cut hands. ■ Practically every shop window in the whole length of Queen street with anything inviting in it was smashed, particularly the jewellery shops and all the big stores like Milne and Choyce’s, Court’s, and Smith and Caughey. The window fronts of all these large stores were shattered.

All the grocery shops met the same fate.

Tho police and navy patrols had no control of tho mob for two hours, because as soon as they passed one point the breaking and looting was resumed.

Wherever there was an hotel window with liquor displayed this was smashed and tho contents were looted. The rioting also led to destruction of many windows from which there was nothing to loot.

The lights were also smashed, so that the street was soon in darkness, and any traffic was impossible. At « late hour it was impossible to estimate the damage in the city, but probably no window escaped, and jewellers, drapers, and grocers have lost large quantities of stocks.

When the Town Hall doors leading on to Grey’s avenue were thrown open the crowd rushed the hall, and the ugly mob spirit showed itself for the first time. Some of the crowd who had gained by force'access to the hall were ejected in a few minutes, and a considerable body moved round into Queen street.

At the junction of Queen street and Grey’s avenue the leader of the demonstration was mounted on a balustrade addressing through a megaphone hundreds of his followers who had been crowded out from the meeting. The police were scattered at intervals through the crowd, but they were comparatively few in number, and an ugly undercurrent was already stirring. The leader shouted through the megaphone that violence was expected. The police were there, ho said, and ho and his friends were to be arrested. The unemployed were not to use violence. They were to let the police do that. “ If the police draw their batons,” ho said, “ the crowd will round on them and take their batons off them, but do not use violence.”

Another member of the Unemployed Workers’ Association had just started to address the crowd when a detachment of mounted police arrived. There were six ■of them, and they rode up quietly with no batons in evidence. Tho crowd by this time was completely blocking Upper Queen street outside the Town Hall, and the mounted police, reinforced by constables on foot, attempted to clear a passage through them. VIOLENT MOB HYSTERIA WOMEN INCITE THE MEN Their arrival was signalled by an outbreak of violent mob hysteria, and the most disgraceful thing about it was that it was led to a large extent by women. A 1 New Zealand Herald ’ reporter was standing just near the balustrade from which the leaders had been addressing the crowd. Behind him were standing women who were screaming obscenities at the police and inciting the men to “ haul them off their horses.” Just when the batons were first drawn and used is difficult to determine. Mounted policemen and several constables on foot had approached the balustrade, when suddenly an ugly melee developed. Immediately the air was filled with curses and shouts. A riot, in its most hideous form, incomparable in the history of Now Zealand, bad broken out. Its flames spread like wildfire. The crowd roared with one voice, and for all the appeals of its leaders that voice was the voice of violence. As if by magic batons appeared among the crowd, and then rocks started to hurtle through the air, aimed at tho mounted policemen, whoso figures rose above tho heads of the crowd. BATONS AND ROCKS CROWD IN A FRENZY Batons were plied freely as the police rode round tho outskirts of the crowd, which was now clear of the middle of the street outside the Town Hall. One rock crashed through the window of a shop opposite the Town Hall, and, like wildfire, the shout went round: “The brutes are firing on us.” Hours afterwards in Queen street the rumour still that firearms had been used. ‘ Herald ’ reporters were outside the Town Hall throughout the disturbances, and not once was there the sound of a shot. Iteinforcements of constables arrived, but the police force was hopelessly outnumbered. Batons were plied in hand-to-hand encounters, and the rearing horses of tho mounted police slowly forced the crowd back on to tho pavement.

One mounted policeman had urged his horse on to the pavement at tho corner of Queen street and Grey’s avenue when a woman standing in a small grass plot at tho junction of the two streets struck at him with the long pole of a banner. Ho evaded it, but

instantly he was struck on the helmet by a flying rock. The crowd now was milling round in a frenzy in the area enclosed by the intersection of Queen street, Rutland street, Lome street, and Grey’s avenue, DESTRUCTION LET LOOSE THE HOODLUM ELEMENT As soon as a section of the crowd diverted its attention from tire struggles with the police and started dliberately to smash windows, this action was contagious, and before long the crash of broken glass could bo heard above the din of the crowd. In justice to the genuine unemplyoed demonstrators it must be stated that they were hardly responsible for this outbreak of sabotage. Young hoodlums could bo seen detaching themselves from the main crowd and running down Queen street, pausing in their headlong rush for an instant to hurl a rock through a shop window. Destruction was let loose on the city. All one saw was a flying figure. All one heard was the crash of glass. The police, still engaged with the crowd outside the Town Hall, were powerless to deal with the situation. Within a few minutes the road had been paved for the lawlessness which had gripped the heart of the city till late into tho night. Scuffles continued outside the Town Hall for some time. Hoots, jeers, and curses were mingled with tho occasional shrieks of women. Every few minutes ambulance men would make their way through the crowd, supporting a limp or staggering burden. Eventually discipline prevailed over the rabble, and the crowd was slowly forced down into Queen street proper, leaving tho hooligan element to carry on its career of looting. Others wandered up and down Queen street till a late hour, gazing at the wreckage of the shops after one of the blackest nights in New Zealand’s history. OVER 150 INJURED THREE POLICE OFFICERS IN SERIOUS CONDITION AMBULANCE MEN DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES AUCKLAND, April 14. Pressing all the available resources into service, the St. John Ambulance Association, directed from its headquarters in Rutland street, gave distinguished service throughout the riot. The number of casualties treated was estimated officially to-night to be more than 150, but there is little doubt that tho actual figure was far in excess of this.

There was one fortunate circumstance which assisted tho ambulance in its emergency. The Auckland division of tho brigade was assembled in the Rutland street station hall, and was hearing an address when tho alarm was given that a riot was in progress at the Town Hall. The lecture meeting was instantly disbanded, and everyone present was called to service. Urgent calls for assistance also were sent to the, suburban centres, with tho result that tho association ultimately had a force of probably 100 ambulance men at its disposal.

At the Town Hall during the early stages of the riot a depot was speedily arranged with a strong staff. A minor station also was established in a vacant hall in Airedale street at a handy distance from the. Town Hall. Of the 150 cases estimated to have been treated by the ambulance, twelve were police casualties, necessitating tho conveying to the Auckland Hospital of the injured officers, three of whom now lie in a serious condition. Other constables received attention for lesser injuries. Most of them received attention at tho first-aid station at the Town Hall during tho ugliest stage of the fiot, while several wore treated at Rutland street and also at tho central police station. Several firemen from

the central brigade in Pitt street were also hurt in the course of the riot. There was no time for discrimination on the part of tho ambulance men, who worked under the greatest difficulty, and all cases where wounds were regarded as more than light were immediately sent to tho hospital. As it happened, the majority of the injured required attention only in the casualty : department. THE MAYOR’S APPEAL A READY RESPONSE SPECIAL CONSTABLES SWORN IN AUCKLAND, April 14, An appeal to all law-abiding ablebodied men to assist in tho restoration of order was broadcast by IYA on behalf of the mayor (Mr G. W. Hutchison) at 9.23 p.m. Tho mayor’s appeal was: “I feel it my duty to appeal to every decent citizen of Auckland to stand by those in authority in upholding the law, and thus preventing a recurrence of the disgraceful riot that has taken place in the city this evening. The trouble is still proceeding, and I appeal to all law-abiding, physically fit men to report at once, armed with batons, to the city police station to help the police to stop the destruction of public and private property, and to restore order.” At the same time Commander Berthon of H.M.S. Philomel had the following message broadcast: —“The whole of tho ship’s company of the Philomel except boys are to report on board the Philomel immediately.” The response was immediate. Many special constables were sworn in at the police station,' and more will be taken to-morrow. Calmness was maintained in the city theatres by the managers keeping the news of the riot away from tho audiences, many of whom did not know of tho trouble till they came out into the scenes of ruin in Queen street. The theatres were not interfered with by the rioters. Tho managers extinguished the outside lights, thus giving the impression that the theatres were closed. UNPARALLELED SCENES CITIZENS SIMPLY STAGGERED 250 BROKEN WINDOWS POLICE FORGE INADEQUATE (Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 15. Aucklanders on coming to Queen street this morning beheld a scene unparalleled in tho history of the city. Thousands of people, comfortable in their lomes last night, knew nothing of the riot in Queen street, and on hearing or reading of it this morning were simply staggered. There had been rumours of “ trouble,” but nothing definite, and when tho big unemployed procession on Wednesday proved orderly and almost entirely good-liumoured the ordinary citizen probably felt satisfied that if anything untoward occurred it would not be serious and would bo easily controlled. This morning they have evidence of their eyes that the criminal and larrikin elements of the population held sway in Queen street last night. In Queen street alone 210 broken shop windows woro counted, and those in tho sdo streets probably bring the total to 250. At present there is no possibility of assessing the value of tho looted property. Some shopkeepers noser heard till tco late of what was happening to their premises, and it will likely take most of them many hours to ascertain what they lost. NOT A FOOD RIOT. The evidence of the looted shops seems to show clearly that this was no fool riot. As far as can bo noticed, not a .provision shop was looted. The

looters instead rifled jewellers and tobacconists. Clothiers, confectioners, and many other shops had the windows broken, but little was stolen, though this in some cases was due to a hole in the glass not being big enough. Another thing certain is that the police force is woefully inadequate to deal with such a situation. CRIMINALS AND LARRIKINS. While nearly all tho available police were struggling to control the mass of unemployed outside the Town Hall criminals and larrikins on the fringe broke away and swept clown Queen street, and there was nothing to stop them—many larrikins, youths, and girls. The degree to which the riot was premeditated is uncertain. Many rioters carried stones which they obtained close to the Town Hall, and others were seen kicking in windows. ; This morning extensive preparations were launched to ensure that any fur! ther rioting would be instantly controlled. CASUALTY LIST MOUNTING OVER 290 INJURED-EIGHT IN HOSPITAL ONE CLOTHIER LOST £I,OOO IN STOCK [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 15. Queen street was thronged all morning with citizens, who wandered up and down crunching broken glass underfoot. Their expression was one of incredulity and dismay. Over two hundred people were injured last night, of whom eight are in hospital. These had all regained consciousness. In addition to six names already telegraphed, the injured'are:— Walter Jones (forty-four), suffering from concussion, condition not serious. Hugh Roberts (forty-nine), head injuries, condition not serious. Three constables—O’Donnell, Yoeward, and Blucher—were injured in addition to those already named.

For three hours there was a stream of people in the main lobby of the Auckland Hospital, and about fifty injured were treated. In tho city St. John Ambulance members dressed the wounds of 150 people in wonderfully quick time. There were also two casualty stations at tho Town Hall, and ambulance men went down Queen street and dressed minor injuries by light of street lamps. One clothier estimates his loss at £I,OOO, including overcoats worth £350. He says that if friends had nob rallied to help him looters would have cleaned out the shop. The manager of the tramways said to-day that unemployed last night deliberately held up trams in Queen street for three hours. They would not budgo from the tram tracks. IN PARLIAMENT HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED MINISTERS IMMEDIATELY CONFER [Frost Our Parliamentary Repobtib.] WELLINGTON, April 14. The news of the insurrection was received with consternation by members on all sides of tho House. The first details did not leak through until after 10.15, and then the information became common property. Ministers hurriedly left the chamber and hastily called a conference and considered the immediate position in the light of the meagre details available. Mr Forbes and Mr Coates were kept advised of the developments by telegram and wireless messages. That the gravity of the situation was fully appreciated by Ministers was made only too clear, and members, showing an equal measure of concern, went in and out of the chamber in search of tho latest information.

Little groups excitedly discussed what news was available, and several Auckland members used tho long-dis-tanco telephone to ascertain that their

families were safe and sound. Interest in the debate in the House completely disappeared, and members awaited with ill-concealed impatience a statement from Mr Forbes before the House rose. PRIME MINISTER'S DECLARATION LAW AND ORDER MUST BE MAINTAINED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, April 14. The most definite indication that the Government would not tolerate such disturbances as had occurred, and would insist upon the maintenance of law and order by the unemployed, was given by Mr Forbes when making a statement in the House at 11.50 p.m. After outlining such details of the riot as had been received by the, Government, Mr Forbes said the Government regretted that such an occurrence had taken place in a community which had always been celebrated for its- observance of law and order. “ These misguided men,” ho added, “ must realise that law and order must and will be maintained.” (Government hear, hears.) .Mr Howard (Labour): And the supply of food! Mr Holland: And the people will starve. Mr Forbes said he would appeal to the citizens to help the police Mr Fraser (Labour): A direct result of the Government’s policy. Mr Forbes: I have made no comment on the Labour Party’s attitude at a time like this. Mr Poison; They have no sense of responsibility. Mr Richards (Labour): There is no food for the people. The Prime Minister: The Government has every sympathy with the unemployed, and Mr Coates and the Unemployment Board are doing everything that is humanly possible with the funds at their disposal—— Mr M'Keen (Labour); They have not the slightest idea. _ , Mr Forbes; To provide work for those out of work, but it is impossible to accede . to the demands that are being made at the present time. Mr Barnard (Labour); They are out of touch with the position. Mr Jordan (Labour) to Mr Forbes: Will you feed the unemployed P Mr Forbes referred to the Unemployment Amendment Bill and its provision for raising additional funds, and pointed out that the full effects were not yet being felt. “ The position is only made worse by disturbances of this kind, whore the premises of innocent citizens are being broken into and destruction and considerable losses caused,” added Mr Forbes. “ They, will no doubt alienate that sympathy shown so abundantly during the last year or two.” (Government hear, hears.) “If anything has been a feature of the present depression it has been the sympathy and assistance extended by everyone in the community to the unemployed. It is appalling to think that action of this kind has been taken. The unemployed must realise this fact—that while the Government is doing everything it possibly can, it will not for. one moment tolerate these disorderly outbreaks, resulting in destruction of property. The police are doing their duty with every moderation, and it is regretted that they should be injured while carrying out their duty. Mr Parry (Labour): People won’t tolerate starvation; that’s all about it. Mr Forbes: I am confident that the people of this country will not stand for this'sort of thing. Mr Parry: They won’t stand for starvation. Mr Forbes; They realise that the utmost is being done with the finances at the Government’s disposal. Mr. Jordan: Will you assure them that they will be fed during the coming winter? LABOUR LEADER’S VIEWS. Mr Holland expressed regret that Mr Forbes had taken advantage of the opportunity to make an attack on a certain section of the community without having the full facts of the position in Auckland before him. “ Everybody will regret that there has been any disturbance whatever in Auckland,” he said, “ and will sympathise with those who have been injured, but surely the Government will recognise that this is the inevitable result of its policy.” (Labour applause.) “It is no good Mr Forbes saying that force will be used and all that kind of thing. There is .no escape from this kind of thing except by a complete reversal of the disastrous policy of the Government.” (Labour “Hears, hears.”) “ I want to say advisedly that every policeman and every private citizen who has been injured is suffering injury as a direct result of the Government’s policy. I make this appeal to the Government. We have issued repeated warnings from these benches. We have pointed to the fact of the writing on the wall, and we have asked the Government to shape its policy so as to obviate happenings of this kind. People are starving in the midst of plenty, and all the threats of force will not compel them to starve. Men will not see their children going hungry day by day when there is no shortage of the things they need. Does the Government believe that thinking men will quietly stand by and see their women and children starve in the midst of plenty? It is unthinkable to expect it. Every member on these benches will stand for the observance of law and order, but the way to get law and order observed is to write laws so that they will bo in the interests of the community. I once again appeal to the Government to abandon the policy which is creating these disturbances throughout New Zealand. What has happened in Dunedin and at Auckland only indicates the gathering of the storm. I would be happy—and every member on these benches would be happy—if could believe that was tho end of the trouble, but those who know the records of history know that these things only indicate the beginning of trouble.” MR COATES’S COMMENTS. Mr Coates pointed out that until the Unemployment Bill was passed by the Upper House, where it had been under discussion for two days, tho resources at the disposal of the Unemployment Board were limited. Mr Mason: Surely the bank could finance it for a week. The Minister went on to say that this Bill gave power to provide for all registered unemployed. Mention , was made of women, and the organisation which would be followed in connection with them had been explained to the women’s deputation that day. “ The next responsibility I see,” continued Mr Coates, “is that of the disturbances which took place tq-day as a result of misleading declarations by many hon. gentlemen opposite—l will not say all of them. (Labour dissent and “ Hear, hoars ” from other parts of the House.) Soms of my friend’s opposite have represented to these people that it is possible to contribute all that they asked for. Air Richards: Name them.

clear indications that the members opposite have shirked their duty by not telling the country what it is possible to contribute. They are using the present position to throw thq response* bility on tho Government. Labour Members: Of course, it is on tho Government. Mr Coates suggested that the Labour; members had an equal responsibility, Mr Semple: We will take all that’s coming to us. Air Coates: It places an obligation on all members to assist the Government. Mr Semple: Wo have said these people must be fed. Mr Coates: “ And the people will ha fed,” but, he continued, tho unemployed had been encouraged to leave their work. He was bound to say that many members had been helpful* but a straightforward declaration from them of what was possible 1 would have helped considerably. Mr Semple: Some of us haye tried to keep them in their work. Air Coates: We know that, and everyone should advise tho unemployed to stay on relief work. Air Parry: That’s your job. Air Coates: AVe have heard talk about slave camps from the other side, and the responsibility must rest on tho members who urge these young fellows to leave those camps. So far-as is humanly possible the Government will provide—and it has made provision—when it gets increased fundsHe declared that though the conditions were difficult the very best would bo done, and nobody would be allowed to starve. “ Our organisation, I admit, is not all that it ought to be, but within a week it will be completed.” Mr Jordan: “Why did the Prime Minister not say that on Tuesday when answering my question?” Air Coates: “He made the position' quite clear that the Government would take every step possible to provide against want and misery.” Tho funds provided by the Crown, added Air Coates, would need to bo supplemented by every effort possible from local bodies, private contributors, and by means of the co-operation of all f including the Labour Party. He wished to associate himself with : the Prime Minister’s declaration that law and order and decency must be maintained* and that would bo easier so long as they saw that the people were fed. Mr Alason: The result must be therei as well as the promise. 1 Mr Coates: I agree. MOUNTED RIFLES TRANSFERENCE TO AUCKLAND (From Ode Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, April 15. The Hon. J, G. Cobbe (Minister of Defence) states that the primary object of the transference of the Mounted Rifles from Ngaruawahia to Auckland is the protection of the Defence Department’s property, including ammunition stores. If their services are required in the maintenance of order tho men will be available for that purpose also.

The Minister: The hon. gentleman is one, but I say it is not possible to give everyone £1 weekly. There arc