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Evening Star, Issue 21081, 19 April 1932, Page 6

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- THE POSITION IN AUCKLAND [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 18. Very few people were abroad in the city to-night, the mayor's appeal to citizens to stay at home being successful. Few shop fronts were illuminated* many being completely boarded up. Patrols of special constables and civil police were on duty, but them services were not required. ESTIMATE OF THURSDAY'S DAMAGE The estimate that damage amount-, ing to £IOO,OOO was done by the rioiW ers in Auckland on Thursday night ap-; pears to have been very wide of the, mark. Expert investigators now stater, that the total damage caused by riot-? ing and looting will not exceed £10,500,' They say that the first un4 official estimate of £IOO,OOO was: greatly exaggerated. Mr Alanj Gray, manager of Bennie S. Cohere and Son (New Zealand), Ltd., Lloyd’s! insurance brokers, in a statement madet in Wellington, gave some facts about? the loss. “ I have had our Auckland* branch manager and a qualified loss as-| sessor working on this business all said Mr Gray. “ I have just received re, telegram from our Auckland manage* in which he says; ‘ Plate-glass windowsf 287, value £5,600. Stocks of goodsP damaged or lost will not exceed £s,ooo.’i* This makes the total _ damage about' £10,500. This figure is not an esti-’ mate: it has been arrived at by two'qualified men, who have made at thorough investigation on the spot.” A BETTER ATMOSPHERE || PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES MAINTAINED. [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 19. More men are at work to-day on relief jobs than yesterday, and the position generally has shown an improvement. Because of threats which those men who remained at work at Devonporfc complain were made by strikers the employed men requested the borough council to close down the jobs till Thursday. The council acquiesced. The atmosphere created by last week’s riots is now noticeably calmer. Precautions are not being relaxed in the slightest—rather, they have been increased —but there is much less apprehension in the public mind. Keen interest was taken in a stopi work meeting of the Seamen’s Union’ this morning, but at noon no decision bad been announced.