SMASHING PLATES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 1 December 1930, Page 9

SMASHING PLATES

POST-R EVOLUTION COMEDY. THE ARGENTINE REVOLT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Dec. 1. Dr. W. G. Woolnough, of Canberra, who visited Buenos Aires in September to study oilfields, arrived at Wellington by the Rotorua, on Saturday evening. ' « Dr Woolnough, who is geological advisor to Commonwealth Government, was on a Government mission for the purpose of inspecting and reporting on up-to-date methods of prospecting on the largo oilfields. Ho narrowly missed the insurrection at Buenos Ayres, arriving there a, few days after it finished, although the population were still extremely jumpy. The revolution proper, he explained, took place on Saturday, September (3, and there was another outbreak on the following Monday. Although it was being fought on a popular question, and interest was widespread in the Republic, the uprising was confined entirely to Buenos Aires itself. ,

Certain’ parts of the city were fairly well shot up, said Dr Woolnough, and it was safe to say that there were u good many more casualties than were reported. While it lasted, .the fighting in Buenos Aires was quite serious, and field guns were used in the streets. •‘Tlie bulk of the population,” he abided, “were highly satisfied with the result. '" This result. Dr Woolnough continued, was the expulsion of the Irigozen Government and the assumption of government by a cabinet with General Uribura as its leader. Dr Woolnough arrived in Beunos Aires a day or two after the Monday on which the fighting died down and found that business was practically normal, with the city perfectly quiet. People were still very nervous and jumpy, however, and there were soldiers everywhere. All males entering the Post Offices wgre searched for concealed arms, and Dr Woolnough himself had to undergo examination every time he posted a letter or sent away a dispatch. To illustrate the nervous feeling among the populace, Dr Woolnough told a story which sounded like a a musical comedy tale. A railway station refreshment room was crowded one evening toward the end of the week, lie said, and one of the waiters inadvertently dropped a pile of plates. They fell with a clatter and; everyone in the place immediately rushed to cover, behind pillars and everywhere where partial concealment was afforded. They resumed their places when the situation becjrvie clear to them, but the plates falling had cleared tho place for a* few seconds. “There is no doubt,” said Dr Woolnough in conclusion, “that the present Government lias, the entire confidence of the people.”