Another Auckland Riot

Evening Star, Issue 21079, 16 April 1932, Page 9

Another Auckland Riot

FIGHT IN ((ARAHGAHAPE ROAD THE "SPECIALS" AND THE MOB BATONS FREELY USED [Pbb United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 15. An ugly fight between special constables and a section of the rioters occurred opposite the premises of the Bon Marche in Karangahape road tonight. Two men were seriously injured by baton wounds and a dozen more received blows of a less serious character. A stone thrown through a shop window was the start of the fight. A section of the special constables in packed formation and brandishing batons above their heads rushed forward to arrest the man, shouting “ Stand brtk! Stand back! ” to the dense crowd or people—men, women, and children—who got in their way. As they jostled the crowd curses were hurled at them by the men in front, and women shouted: “ Leave him alone, you dirty scabs.” BLEEDING HEADS The next instant the street was thrown into hopeless confusion. Men used their fists and the specials laid about with their batons. For three or four minutes the street resounded with blows, the scuffing of feet, and frenzied yelling. A woman was knocked down in the melee and was carried, into a shop;", and • half a dozen rioter's v with' bleeding heads and arms reeled out of the struggling mass, leaving one of their number in the hands of the specials.

The men who were in the forefront of fhe attack gradually thinned out os some were put out of action by wounds and others got out of reach of the specials. At least one man was arrested. He was bleeding profusely from a deep gash on the head, and was led away by two specials through the jeering, hooting mob.

Groups of specials became involved in further actions as the evening grew on. Their tactics were to band closely together two or three deep and move forward through the surging throng whenever the crash and shatter of a breaking window offered them a point in the confused mass of humanity on which to centre their attentions. Their progress in this fashion was the signal for a storm of shouting and screaming, men and youths hurling oaths upon them and urging each other to “ Go for them and stand your ground.” WINDOWS BROKEN

For twenty minutes or more one section of specials was kept moving from place to place in the dense throng by intermittent spasms of. window breaking. No sooner had they turned in one direction than a resounding crash on the opposite side of the street caused them to dash forward, alter their course, and make for the place where the offender was thought to be. The crowd impeding them was so closely packed, however, that by the time they reaehed the spot everyone round the window had scattered. All they could do was to keep part of the crowd moving until another window was broken on the opposite side of the street. A dozen windows or more were broken in this manner. THREAT TO READ RIOT ACT An announcement that if disturbances similar to that of the past two nights occurred again he would have no hesitation in reading the Riot Act was made by the mayor (Mr G. W. Hutchison) to-night. “ The effect of reading the Riot Act will be that one hour after it has been read, if a crowd does not disperse, every person who remains in the vicinity will be liable to arrest and imprisonment for life,” the mayor said. “ That would mean that whole streets would be cleared. As to-day was the late shopping night and the disturbance was purely local, I did not consider it was a fair thing to make everyone leave the street and thus disturb business.

“ Further, I was relying upon the request I had made through the Press that everyone who proposed to walk the streets out of curiosity should stay at home. As, however, they did not go home after the shops closed, it will undoubtedly bo necessary in future to take sterner measures and bring the public to a realisation of its duties.

“In such circumstances, if there is a further recurrence of disturbance with the attendant crowd of onlookers, I will not hesitate to read the Riot !Act,” added the mayor. “ Those who then elect to remain in the streets must take the consequences.”

Serious Street Clashes \ Many Persons Injured More Windows Smashed Karangahape roa'd, the next most important business centre in Auckland to Queen street, was the scene of ,a recurrence of rioting last night. Many serious clashes between the demonstrators and the police are reported, and several persons were seriously injured. Organised window smashing again took place. Permanent members of the Defence Force are now patrolling the city fully armed, and the mayor has threatened to read t” e Riot Act.

ARRESTS AND HOSPITAL CASES At a late hour it was ascertained that thirty arrests had been made tonight, principally on charges of rioting and mischief. No actual looting was reported. The ambulance treated thirty men for minor injuries, and three cases are in hospital. Although the greatest crowd was concentrated in Karangahape road tonight, Queen street was filled with pedestrians and motor traffic till after 9 o’clock. Little business was done, and when the shops closed, stocks were removed from the windows, which were barricaded. Squads of armed men, mounted and on foot, passed up and down, and there were groups of police and special constables. By 10 o’clock the street was quiet, and after the theatres emptied conditions were tranquil. COURT PROCEEDINGS TWO MEN SENT TO GAOL OVER FORTY OFFENDERS IN ALL [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 15. Unprecedented scenes were witnessed this morning when over forty men who had been arrested during the night and early this morning on various charges made their appearance at the Police Court. ■ The authorities took no chances of the mob endeavouring to create trouble at the court, and perhaps making an attempt to rescue the arrested men. A ■ strong naval cordon of royal marines and bluejackets, assisted by the police and special constables, was formed about the court, and it was impossible to get through the lines unless one had some business, at the court. The arrested men were brought down in several police vans. Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., presided, and Sub-inspector Gibson prosecuted in all cases. The first case called was that of George Joseph Silva, an Englishman, charged with assaulting Constable Cook and Detective Whitehead while_ in the execution of their duty, and inciting lawlessness. “Both these officers are dangerously ill in hospital, and there may be more serious charges preferred against Silva later on,” said Sub-in-spector Gibson, who obtained a remand until April 22. A number of the accused who were charged with taking part in an unlawful assembly were remanded. “ This Indian was one of the looters,” said Mr Gibson, after Morran Horry had admitted stealing some cigars and jewellery of a total value of £2 3s 6d. Horry was fined £5, or one month’s imprisonment. William Ardrell denied that he stole a watch and a bottle of whisky, of a total value of £4 ss, and he was remanded until April 22. An American, Edmond George Essory, aged 43, pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in Princes street. “This man is an American who abused some special constables. Nothing is known about him,” said Sub-inspector Gibson. Essory was also fined £5, or one month in prison. Charged with assaulting a special constable, George Edward Porter pleaded not guilty, and he also denied a further charge of taking part in an unlawful assembly. He was remanded. Then there was Miro Lidovic, a Dalmatian,- aged 24, who admitted the theft of a bottle of rum at the Waverley Hotel. A fine of £5 or one month’s imprisonment was his penalty.

A young man named Leonard Roberts was tno next to enter the dock to admit_ stealing five cigars and a bottle of whisky. Detective-sergeant M'Hugh said he was with Detective Brady, and saw Roberts break a window and enter a shop. “He was filling his pockets with loot, and we had to piul him right out of the window,” said the de-tective-sergeant. “He kicked and punched us and called out to the crowd to come to his assistance. We kept the crowd back at the point of a gun, and when we handcuffed Roberts he cried like a frog to make out that he was being hurt, but still the crowd did not come on. Roberts is the worst of the lot.” Roberts was sent to gaol for three months.

Three men next appeared together— Andrew Henderson Woods, Keith Gordon Hellier, and Douglas William Harp—each pleading guilty to a charge of stealing six gold rings, four cigarette lighters, two watches, two clocks, a tobacco pouch, a razor, and a pipe, of a total value of £lO, the property of Skeat'es Bros., jewellers. All were fined £5, or one months’ imprisonment.

> A fine of £5 or the usual alternative was imposed on Robert Hovvarth, aged twenty-one, who stole a hat, six pipes, and some cigars, all worth £3. Joseph Henry Silver, who admitted the theft of a string of beads, and said they were thrown out and ho picked them up, was fined £5 or one month.

As there will probably be a more serious charge brought against him, John Reid, who admitted stealing two hones, cigars, and shaving soap of a total value of 16s, was remanded for a week,

Five bottles of scent, some brass trays, and an ornament wore stolen by Leonard Beasley, who was also fined £5 or one month’s imprisonment. Nicolo Nigro, a young man, pleaded guilty to the theft of a mouth organ worth 2s 6d. “You aye only seventeen, so I will give you a chance,” said Mr Hunt. “ You are convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.” “ This one has a very bad list of previous convictions,” said the Subinspector when Royal Desmond Capner pleaded guilty to the _ theft of two wristlet watches, six rings, cigarette lighters, and other articles. _ He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Despite the serious nature of the proceedings, there was much laughter concerning the case of Edward Huia Toroa, a Maori charged with stealing clothing and rings worth £4, and, further, that he was an idle and disorderly person found by night armed with a repeating rifle and a bludgeon. Toroa pleaded guilty to the first charge. Sub-inspector Gibson said he would offer no evidence on the other charge. “ Toroa was acting as a special constable, and had the rifle on his shoulder and the baton in his hand. After helping .himself to some goods he then joined up with the police again. He’s not a bad sort of fellow.” (Laughter.) Toroa, for theft, was fined £5 or one month’s imprisonment. A large number of other offenders were dealt with in a similar manner by the magistrate. THE QUEEN STREET AREA DRAPERS' SHOPS SUFFER MOST [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 15. The damage done by the rioters on Thursday night was mainly confined to the shops in Queen street between Victoria street and Shortland streets. Jewellers’ and drapers’ shops apparently v suffered most, many articles being looted from the windows. The shops on either side of Queen street in the two blocks between Shortland and Victoria streets make up what is practically the wealthiest shopping area in New Zealand. Among the buildings are three banks, the Bank of New Zealand, the National Bank, and the Bank of Australasia. Milne and Choyce Ltd., the largest department store in the dominion, is a ten-story building with a large number of plate glass windows, John Courts Ltd. is another large drapery store with a long frontage of plate glass. At least five jewellers’ shops are contained within the area, while there are also two or three boot shops, florists, a large book shop, several men’s outfitters, and hat shops. From the Victoria street corner, where the most serious damage is re--ported to have been done, going down on the right-hand side towards the waterfront, there are at least twenty shops of all kinds. On the corner is John Court’s Ltd., then further down Queen street, Coltman, jeweller; Dadley’s Ltd., boots; Hazard’s, sporting goods; G. H. Kingsford, leather and sports goods; Adams Bell, cakes; Wiseman’s Ltd., dealers in radio sets, sporting goods; Nixon’s, hats; A, Kohn Ltd-., jewellers; Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd.; Stewart, Dawson, jewellers; Eccles, chemists; Kodak Proprietary Ltd.; Lewis Eady, music dealers; E. C. Brown, men’s outfitter; Seville tea rooms; G. J. Mackay, florist; South British Insurance building on the corner of Shortland street. On the left-hand side the first building on the Victoria street corner is the Bank of Australasia, then an auctioneer, the entrance to the National Theatre, Hannah’s boot shop, His Majesty’s Arcade, with a barber’s shop on one side and a chemist’s on the other. Here Wyndham street intersects, On the corner is the National Bank, and on the opposite corner the ‘ New Zealand Herald ’ office, a radio shop, the Bank of New Zealand, Milne and Choyce, and then the Bank of New South Wales. The last shop on the corner of Swanston street opposite Shortland street is a men’s outfitters. BEFORE THE DISTURBANCE Protests against the conditions of relief work, particularly against the country camps, have been common in Auckland for some time past, just as in other places. The demonstrations, however, have been orderly, usually taking the form of a march through _ the city, headed by a band, on Friday nights during the peak shopping hour. The first indication that the protests were reaclung their culmination came on Tuesday, when the unemployed organisation decided to call a strike on Wednesday of relief workers throughout the Auckland provincial area. It was described as a protest against “ intolerable conditions.” The' actual strike was scarcely a success, as a large majority of the men turned up at their work. Nevertheless, there were sufficient meu in the city on Wednesday afternoon to form procession a quarter of a mile long, which soon came into conflict with the police. In Shortland street a lorry driver apparently tried to break through the ranks, and the small number of police present drew their batons, and there was a lively melee for a few minutes. The leaders of the procession on that occasion had their followers in good control, and as soon as they reached the scene the men accepted the advice to resume the march. In the meantime pickets had been endeavouring to persuade the men at work to down tools. No disorder occurred, and those who continued to work did so without hindrance. The leaders of the unemployed at a final gathering outside the Town Hall on Wednesday arranged for the demonstration to be renewed on Thursday. FULLY ARMED MOUNTED SQUADRONS ARRIVE OVER 1,000 SPECIAL POLICE [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 15. In addition t- the protection provided by the police force and the special constabulary, Array, Navy, and Defence Force units were at hand in the city to-day. When the Police Court opened in the morning detachments of naval men picketed the approaches, preventing any disorder in the environs of the court, while they continued on duty during the day. Members of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve were asked to present themselves for service in the evening, and 200 men responded to tho call, 5G of these being men on the non-active list. They were employed in patrol duty, -while two sections of naval men equipped with steel helmets and batons, but without rifles or bayonets, were used in Karangabnpo road.

The permanent Defence Force, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel J. E. Duigan, was invested with the responsibility of protecting a number of positions in the city and suburbs. The force, which was equipped with steel helmets, rifles, bayonets, and ammunition, was on duty all day and throughout the evening. Members of the permanent staff of the Hobsonville air base wero called into tho city, and were held as a special reserve under the control of the Defence officers, who were closely cooperating with the police. Mounted men from the Waikato, comprising two squadrons of the Waikato Mounted Rifles, who were in camp at Cambridge and volunteered for special duty in Auckland on Thursday night, reached the city this morning and were quartered at the Epsom Show Grounds. The men were in uniform on their arrival, hut it was decided that they could not operate as a military force, and they were therefore changed into civilian garb and their arras were changed for batons. The decision of the squadrons to offer their services for duty was reached following tho appeal made by tho Mayqr of Auckland (Mr G. W. Hutchison) over the air for reinforcements, and at 11 o’clock on Thursday night those of the men who were asleep in camp were awakened and a number were recalled from a dance in the township. A request for railway transport was made to the railway authorities at Frankton, and the necessary arrangements were speedily carried out. A railway officer was despatched to Cambridge, and shortly afterwards he aroused the railway officers along the line to Cambridge. A special train was then despatched to Cambridge, and shortly after 3 o’clock this morning a start was made to entrain the men and horses, the “ special ” getting away for the city by 4 a.m. By 9.30 a.m. the squadrons were accommodated at the Show Grounds in preparation for eventualities. The horses had their shoes removed to make their manoeuvres on the, paved roads safer. Over 1,000 special constables were enrolled by the police in the city to-day as a safeguard against further disturbances. Mr S. Till, superintendent of police, has direct charge of all the operations, and he has under his control military, naval, and air force units, a largely augmented police force, and the special force. The detective office was transformed into a recruiting depot, when six detectives were kept busy at typewriters taking details of those offering for special duty. Before 8 o’clock men were waiting at the office for enrolment, and there was a continual stream of applicants until well after midday. Later in the afternoon, when the 1,000 mark had been passed, it was necessary to close down on the applications in order that the special force should not be too unwieldy. All sorts and conditions of men offered their services, but the majority were young fellows of the average city type. GOVERNMENT FULLY PREPARED BAH ON PUBLIC GATHERINGS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 15. Commenting this evening on the Auckland riots, the Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) said he was assured that the authorities at Auckland had the Eosition well in, hand, and tho police ad been sufficiently reinforced to enable them to handle any situation that might arise. Discussing the possibility of further trouble, he said the Government was fully 'prepared to meet eventualities, and it would not allow the forces of disorder to gain the upper hand. Large numbers of civilians had offered their services throughput the country, and they would be available to supplement the police if occasion arose, although it would be the fervent hope of the country generally that no such need would occur. Inquiries wero made of the Public Service Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police as to the position with respect to public meetings. Although nothing definite was disclosed, it is understood that tho Auckland announcement that any public demonstration or meeting 1 will not be permitted until further notice will apply to Wellington, and also to all other centres of the population. THURSDAY’S OUTBREAK SIDELIGHTS OF THE RIOTING [Special to the ‘Star.’] AUCKLAND, April 15. All Auckland seemed to have thronged into Queen street this morning. The footpaths wore jarimied with people. The trams were held up in a long line from Wyndham street to Customs street, and every motor vehicle seemed to be wending its way slowly down the wrecked thoroughfare—the scene of last night’s smashing and looting. One would have thought that all the city was afoot last night to judge from the crowds, but when the people came to work this morning it was obvious that thousands were viewing the spectacle for the first time. Incredulity and'dismay were written on ejrery face. The spectators this morning had more time to examine the slashed windows, and people who understand these things were puzzled at first by the small, clean holes made in some of the huge sheets of plate glass. It was thought by some people that these small holes were made by bullets. They were certainly not made by pieces of rock. Some people in the mob last night heard a distinct “ whizz ” over their heads just before a window was broken. The explanation will probably be foimd that the window-breakers were in some instances armed with catapults, and were using marbles as missiles.

Most of the people in the Queen street picture theatres knew nothing of the grave nature of the disturbance until the end of the programmes. It was a wise move on the part of the various managers not to acquaint tiro audiences with the tense ptuation in the streets. In some instances picture patrons went home by trims or cars without the slightest knowledge that the situation for a few hours had been so serious. There were fears in the earlier stage of the evening that the picture audiences would ’swell the crowds in the streets, but t|at did not happen. I One of the few inebriated (people was an old woman who got on begird a tram with something bulging undo 1 her arm. A man with a brassard onlhis arm—probably a special—attractedher attention. “ Are you an ambulance man?” she asked him, “ because if yin are I’m wounded.” Her injuries jrero not visible, however, ns she starred out of the car. When she caipe to her stopping place she lost her gtip of the bulge under her arm, and a la go looted jardiniere fell to the ground n P hundred pieces. ' ;

BAREFACED LOOTING. In a pawnbroker’s shop in the upper part of Queen street a looter in a wrecked window was handing out jewellery wholesale, and did not seem to care who got the spoil so long as the shelves were emptied. He passed out handfuls of rings, watches, and other trinkets, lie thrust into the hands of one girl among the bystanders a fistful of rings. When she realised what it meant the girl threw the jewellery on the roadway and got away from the spot as soon as she could. Some of the people who sqw the looting of shops seemed half-hypno-tised. The looters went about their crime without a word to check them. A man who stepped through a broken window of a clothier near Swanson street went methodically to work to find something to his liking. He deliberately disrobed one of the lay figures, annexed the garments, and then threw the figure out among the crowd in the street. YOUNG HOOLIGANS. Perhaps the worst feature of the rioting was the part taken by youths and gins of eighteen and upwards. These young hooligans would yell with delight at each new piece of viciousness. They made a night of it and gloried in it. As late as a quarter to 11 a youth with an open white shirt was seen to hurl a stone through a window near Shorthand street and then scurry away, to be lost in the crowd. Some of Auckland’s women can certainly take no credit for the part they played in this grim drama. Before the rioting started they headed_ the main body of the unemployed singing _ the ‘ Red Flag.’ At the appearance of the mounted men there were some who levelled a volley of abuse and obscenities at the police. When the fight was on it was the women who encouraged the men and urged them on. Women more than men seemed to regard the whole disgraceful affair (especially the looting) in the light of a victory well won. AUCKLAND PRESS COMMENT [Special to the ‘ Stak.’] AUCKLAND, April 15. After roundly condemning the orgy of destruction and thieving in Thursday night’s riot, the ‘ Star ’ concludes its editorial thus: “It goes without saying that law and order must bo enforced with the sternest and most impartial hand, and naturally the Prime Minister, in his reference to the trouble in the House last night, stressed the Government’s duty in this respect. The Government, however, has _ another duty, and that is to improve its policy of unemployment relief. We do not believe that last night’s attack on property was directly the outcome of privation and discontent, but it must be agreed that such a condition of unemployment as this country shows has in it the elements of danger, and it is the Government’s duty to do everything possible to damp these elements down. It would be most unjust to suggest that the Government is lacking in sympathy towards the unemployed, but it is not so to say that it might have displayed a little more imagination. There has been too much talk of new plans and not enough action, and the Government would have allayed a good deal of discontent if it had frankly announced that adequate _ sustenance and shelter would be provided for all : —whether through work or in the form of straight-out money grants. Whether the Government likes it or not, the “dole” must come; indeed, as we have pointed out over and over again, it is here now in the form of charitable aid and the acceptance of the principle by the Government would mean only an extension of the system.” THE RIOT ACT A DRASTIC EMERGENCY MEASURE [Special to the ‘ Star.’] WELLINGTON, April 16. The reading of the Riot Act is a most drastic emergency measure of which sparing use has been made in New Zealand. Life imprisonment is one of the penalties provided for noncompliance with provisions of the proclamation. The relevant sections of the Crimes Act define an unlawful assembly as a gathering of three or more persons who by their conduct cause bystanders to fear that they will disturb the peace or provoke other persons to disturb it. Every member of an unlawful assembly is liable to twelve months’ imprisonment. A riot is defined as an unlawful assembly that has actually begun to disturb the peace tumultously, and every rioter is liable to two years’ imprisonment. It is also provided that every sheriff or justjee of the peace who has notice of a riot or unlawful assembly has authority and a duty to read the Riot Act among the rioters, or as close as he can safely get, “in a loud voice after commending silence.” SMASHED WINDOWS TOTAL FIFTY-EIGHT OVER TWENTY ARRESTS SEVERAL RECEIVE THE MAXIMUM PENALTY [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 16. Fifty-eight shop windows smashed in Karangahape road or its vicinity represented the mob’s achievement last night. Over twenty arrests were made, and the offenders appeared in the Police Court this morning, when the magistrate (Mr Hunt) remarked that the section of the Act under which most of the offenders were charged should bo amended in such times. The manirnum sentence of three months was too little. He added that yesterday he had treated the offenders leniently, but the public, after reading the mayor’s appeal to them not to stay unnecessarily in the streets, had disregarded it. Now the offenders would know what was coming to them. Several of those charged to-day received the maximum term of three months. In addition to the rioters John Sharp (thirty-six) and Frank Edwin Lark, described as prominent leaders of the unemployed, were charged with inciting to lawlessness, and were remanded on bail of £SOO. FEATURED IN NEWSPAPERS SHOCK TO BRITISH PUBLIC Proas Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, April 15. The news of the Auckland rioting was displayed in big headlines in eacli of the morning newspapers. It came as a

great surprise and even a shock to the British public, who were not prepared by earlier cables, and did not suspect the imminence of trouble. SYDNEY, April 15. The Auckland disorders are featured in the newspapers, and are also being freely discussed. ENGLISH PAPER'S COMMENT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 15. (Deceived April 16, at 11 a.m.) The ‘ Manchester Guardian ’ in an editorial says: “ The New Zealand riots are disturbing. They reminded us of the poverty and hardship brought by the economic crisis. Conditions must unquestionably be serious to lead to such a display of violence in a country no less law-abiding than ours. The Government heroically tried to balance the Budget, but cannot by itself alter the world depression. New Zealand, like every other country, is suffering from Europe’s crazy post-war economics.”