QUIET WEEK-END

Evening Star, Issue 21080, 18 April 1932, Page 12

QUIET WEEK-END

POSITION AT AUCKLAND

GOOD ORDER MAINTAINED [Pek United Press Association.] AUCKLAND. April 17. 'Auckland is all quiet this evening, no serious disturbances having occurred since Friday night, although oyer the week-end the streets were well filled with people, mostly sightseers, gathering to see if anything should happen. While no incidents comparable to the disturbances in the city and at Newton on Thursday and Friday nights took place last night, the congregation of a large number of people at the top of Symonds street provided an opportunity for an outbreak, but by their tactful handling of the crowd the police were able to disperse them. About half-past 10, when the crowd was thinning out, a window in a shop was broken by a stone-thrower, but the offender was quickly apprehended, and nothing further came of the incident. During the evening groups of men, with a fair sprinkling of women, gathered on the footpaths near the top of Symonds street, most of them being obviously sightseers. For no apparent reason the crowd slowly increased, until ,by 9 o’clock there were probably 2,000 people in the vicinity. Small parties of uniformed police mingled with the crowd, but the special police were not in evidence. For the most part the crowd was in a good-natured mood, and appeared to be waiting for something to happen. As an appeal to the crowd to disperse had no effect, a detachment of mounted constabulary was called up, and, although they merely rode up one side of Symonds street and down the other, their presence had a sobering effe9t. By 10.30 p.m. the area had resumed its normal appearance, and as soon as the theatre crowds had passed through the locality the extra police were withdrawn. The authorities have been thoroughly organised to meet any emergency in all parts of the city and suburbs. Last night strong patrols operated, but there were no incidents in Queen street or the suburbs. A crowd of about 1,000 gathered at the entrances to the'Domain this afternoon. The entrances .were guarded by the police, a proposed meeting of unemployed having been banned by the authorities. After about half an hour Messrs J. A, Lee and A. S. Richards, M.P.S, walked through the crowd and proceeded in the direction of the outer domain. They were followed by the crowd, and their arrival in the outer domain was greeted by cheers by the few hundred persons assembled there. The members of Parliament persuaded the crowd to sit down and sing songs, but on the approach of a posse of twenty police there was a hostile demonstration. Mr Lee appealed to the crowd to be orderly and go home. Mrs Lee accompanied her husband. The crowd gradually dispersed without incident.

SATURDAY'S PRECAUTIONS

2,000 SPECIAL POLICE [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 16. Men were working overtime to-day boarding up the windows of shops in Queen street and the neighbourhood, as the owners had apparently decided to take no risk over the week-end. Significant of the present state of affairs is the reappearance after nearly a quarter of a century of shutters in one Shortland street premises.; In Queen street many of the shop fronts are being boarded up in a very effective manner. Carpenters are having a busy time, and the staffs in some of the larger shops have also been helping in this precautionary work. Similar activity prevails in all the suburbs, where the shop windows have been cleared of goods. This was done long ago in the city, and timber and roofing iron were used to barricade the shops. A combined protective force of close on 2,000 men lias been organised for the mounted police, special constables, cavalry, and naval detachments. A conference lasting nearly two hours was held at the Drill Hall this morning, and was attended by the mayor (Mr 6. W. Hutchison) and representatives of the police, volunteer forces, the navy, the Transport Board, and the Harbour Board, when a general organisation for the protection of the city and suburbs was discussed.

I have nothing to say except that arrangements were made for future action in the event of trouble,” said the Mayor at the conclusion of the conference. “ The force of special police to-night approaches 2,000. The manner m which citizens have come forward for enrolment as special police and the assistance offered in many ways by various organisations are more than gratifying.” The Mayor added that there was no doubt that many of the men in the streets last night were prepared for trouble, as the authorities knew they went to Karangahape road with rocks m .their pockets.

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

STAND-DOWN WEEK POSTPONED [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 16. The Mayor (Mr G. ,VV. Hutchison) announced to-day that he had made arrangements with the Labour Department lor the City Council’s stand-down week (next week) to be postponed and the council will provide work for DOU men instead of 200. For this ono week only the men will be paid each night as they leave work. The effect of ‘is will be that all men who lost time lor any cause whatever in the week ended to-day may make up the lost time jf they report on their jobs on Monday.

RETURNED SOLDIERS

OPPOSED TO DEMONSTRATIONS [Pw United Press Association.] TIMARU, April 17. At a largely-attended meeting of the South Canterbury Returned Soldiers’ Association last night the following resolution was carried unanimously:— “That the unemployed members of this association disapprove of any form of demonstration which is liable to lead to disorder,-and resolves to take no part in any such demonstration. "

RAtIWAYMEN'S RESOLUTION

[Pee United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 18. A meeting of railwaymen called over a week ago to consider wage cuts was held yesterday afternoon, when the following resolution was carried;—“That the Government be asked not to utilise railwaymen to convey special constables.” The railwaymen who attended the meeting, wished it to be clearly understood that while they were genuinely in sympathy with the unemployed they dissociated themselves entirely from those responsible for the wanton destruction to shops and also from mob violence.

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED

MEETINGS IN OTHER PLAGES [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 17. About 300 persons were present at the Basin Reserve this alteruoon in response to an announcement by the Unemployed Workers’ Movement that a mass meeting would be field. Speeches criticising the Government’s policy were delivered by several of the movement’s leaders, and the crowd then dispersed quietly. Largo numbers of citizens are offering their services as special constables, and arrangements are being made lor the enrolment ot as many as the authorities may deem advisable. MASTERTON, April 17.

At a Labour Party demonstration held in Masterton this afternoon a resolution was passed condemning the Government’s policy and calJing upon it either to amend its policy or resign. The speakers were Messrs W. E. Barnard and J. O’Brien, M.P.s, who, referring to the Auckland disturbances, deplored the rioting, but said the Government could not escape the responsibility. The meeting, was orderly throughout. There was an attendance of about 500 persons. NAPIER, April 17.

Over 1,000 persons listened to addresses by Messrs J. M'Combs and W. Nash at M'Lean Park this afternoon. The speakers criticised generally the Government’s policy and administration. A lengthy resolution was carried condemning the Government’s policy. The same speakers adressed a gathering in Hastings to-night.

READING THE RIOT ACT

NO OFFICIAL RECORD [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, April 16. No official record has been kept in New Zealand of the occasions on which ir< has been necessary to read the Riot Act, athough the recollection of those concerned in the administration of justice is that more than three such emergencies could not be traced. Police officials seen this morning could recall no instances, but some thought the Act was read during the 1913 waterside strike at Wellington, when special contingents of mounted farmers came to the city to load their own produce on the overseas ships. This, however, was not the case, according to Mr W. G. Riddell, formerly senior stipendiary magistrate at Wellington, who is regarded as the best authority on matters affecting crime and the maintenance of public order. Mr Riddell informed your correspondent that he was positive that the Riot Act was not read in Wellington during the disturbance referred to. “I should know,” he said, “ because I carried the Riot Act proclamation in my pocket during the whole of the trouble, i thought on one or two occasions that I would have to read it, but 1 was requested by the Government not to do so.” Mr Riddell added that so far as he could remember the only instance on which recourse had been made to this legislation was in Christchurch over thirty years ago, when a proclamation was read by Mr H. W. Bishop, stipendiary magistrate. He had forgotten all the circumstances of the case, but he could recall that a great commotion had taken place in connection with a church conducted by a man named Worthington. There was rioting, and the Riot Act was read. Mr Riddell said there may have been other instances when the Act was read in New Zealand, but he certainly did not know of them.

A high police official, discussing the same question, said he had the impression—though he was not positive—that the Act was read during the Waihi strike.

It is understood that although no record has been kept in the past of the reading of the Riot Act, the Magistrate’s Court, officers will in future he required to keep a record of the circumstances.