POSITION IN AUCKLAND.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 15 November 1913, Page 5

POSITION IN AUCKLAND.

A LITTLE SENSATION.

AUCKLAND, Nor: 15. A sensational arrest took place near the hospital yesterday afternoon, when a youth named Charles George Chatfield was arrested on a charge of attempting to discharge a loaded revolver at a special constable, Cecil Lynch. He was wearing a special constable's badge and a party of "specials" were going over "the' Graf ton road bridge when they saw Chatfield. They had their suspicions as to his bona, fides: so it was determined that Chatfield should be given an opportunity of explaining his identity. Two constables approached the manand' enquired where he had got the badge on him. Replying that it was his special constable's badge, Lynch asked Chatfield which company he wa* in. In reply he stated that he iiad come from Mercer. Not feeling satisfied. Lynch informed Chatfield that he1 would have to go to the Domain camp to be identified^ |

It was at this juncture that the exciting. incident arose, which, it is alleged, culminated in Chatfield drawing a loaded revolver and pointing it atLynch. He attempted to run away, but one of the "specials" caught him !by the coat and placed-his arms round him. When the constable did this he saw Chatfield raise his right hand and he felt something touching the side of his head. Thinking it was a baton, the "special" overthrew the accused and held him down on the ground. "Whilst I did this," said the special constable, "I saw some of the other constables relieve accused of a revolver which he held in his right hand." From accounts given by the' other constables it seems that Chatfield had the weapons fully loaded. One was pointed at :Lyheh 4 . and Chatfield then placed his hand in one.of his side coat pockets. His hand was removed from the pocket, from which Lynch abstracted another loaded revolver of i larger calibre than the first one. Ghatfield then submitted quietly, and was! taken to the Domain camp. On the way he handed over a number of loose cartridges to a special constable. He was afterwards removed, to the city police station, where he was charged that on November 14, 1913, in the city of Auckland, he. did attempt to discharge a revolver loaded with destructive material at one Cecil Lynch. Accused is said ,to be only, 18 years of age, and is described as a horse-hair worker.

A report in circulation that all the Auckland Harbor Board's employees are out on strike was referred to by Mr J. H. Gunson this morning. In the interests of a large number of employees who had remained loyal j he gave the report an emphatic contradiction. The men on strike, he explained, only represented workmen on some or the outside jobs, such as the reclamation work and the Queen's wharf construction. The harbormaster's staff, traffic manager's staff, and engineering and secretarial staffs, to the number of about 150, were absolutely loyal and standing by the Board splendidly. At a meeting of the Seamen's Union this afternoon, when there were about 600 members present, a resolution was carried unanimously appointing Messrs Jack and Mackie' to wait upon the Mayor, as representatives of the union, to ask him to keep all the hotels closed during the continuance of the present industrial trouble.

The president of the Master Carriers' Association, Mr George Winstone,, informed a reporter this morning that between 90 and 100 vehicles 'were being run by carrying firms of the city on the" waterfront and in other parts of the city. Several of the master carriers had their stables patrolled last night and . this morning, for the first'time, the idea being to counteract the efforts of the pickets to dissuade regular hands from working.