RIOTS IN BAHAMAS

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 June 1942, Page 5

RIOTS IN BAHAMAS

NEGROES’ LOW WAGE SCALE

NASSAU (Bahamas), June 2. Unskilled labourers on a large American project demonstrated yesterday smashing show windows and looting fashionable stores. Two rioters were killed and others were wounded before the police and troops restored order. The demonstrators protested against their wages of 4/a day. The looting of liquors, expensive English fabrics, and rare perfumes was widespread. . A later message states that rioting continues in Nassau suburbs, principally at Grantstown, a large negro section, where a mob burned the police and fire stations and an ambulance. The authorities have issued a decree for a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. until order is restored. Negotiations were in progress to raise the natives’ wages scale when the riots began, but the Bahamian authorities were unable to act immediately, since the wages scale was set by an agreement between the British and American Governments. The Duke of Windsor (Governor of the Bahamas) has arrived from Washington after cutting short his visit to the United States.