THE SUFFRAGETTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 30 November 1912, Page 5

THE SUFFRAGETTES.

FURTHER CRIMINALITY

WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF

IiETTEBS.

BT CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, Nov. 28. The suffragettes cnose letter-boxes in the vicinity of the Stock Exchange and Mark Lane for dropping in acius. Many cheques, share certificates ana contracts were destroyed. There were similar outrages in the West End. at i inch-ley, Camberwell, and Islington, where four hundred letters were damaged. In" some cases the acids were contained in corkless bottles and phials labelled "Votes for women." The trouble was only discovered at the General Post Offices by piles of letters breaking into flames. The officials quickly smothered them. Occasionally paraffin rags and lighted matches were put in the post boxes. The staffs at the sorting offices were hours in deciphering the damaged addresses. Ten letter-boxes in the centre of Birmingham were smothered with tar and varnish.

There has been similar wholesale destruction in Nottingham,, apparently as a reprisal for being outwitted in attempts to interfere with Mr Asquith on Friday at Ukestone.

At Newcastle a hundred letters were damaged by* ink being poured into the boxes.