ATTEMPT FAILS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1932, Page 3

ATTEMPT FAILS

TO collect goods distrained

SPECTACULAR SCENES IX ENGLAND.

LONDON, October 4.

A spectacular -attempt to xillect goods distrained -and sold for payment of tithes ended in failure at Elmsett Hall, th e farm of Mr Charles Westrcn, of Elmsett, near Hadleigh, Suffolk. Thirty .policemen, eleven contractors' .men with seven lorries, and more than 3CO farmers and farm workers came into conflict the farm. The police descended on the property in specialty .-a arte red motor-coaches at 5.45 a.in. They were followed soon after by the seven lorries belonging to a Cambridge contractor.

This was the first intimation that Mr Westren had that his distrained goods wer e to be collected 1 that day. The news soon spread. Women of Elmsett ran to the church, made their way into the tower, and began to peal the b&lls,' •sending out the alarm. Soon farmers and labourers, in motorcars. on bicycles and on fcbt, began to converge oil the farm. Mr Westren made no attempt to prevent the removal of the goods, but the growing crowd was showing an ugly temper, and the police wer e not nearly ,-Irong enough to control any widespread outbreak of violence. A nuin- ■’ -» ‘i- ffp-ided " Ibega* t# cut "down a ninety-foot elm .uni i,ii-.» ii.cc.mon ot dropping -’t across the farm road and imprisonin' Ilorries.

The foreman of the contractors’ crew, alarmed at the proportions of the crowd; decided to abandon the work of removal. This acce jtance of faulure vss greeted with cheers, -but sonic hours elapsed before the' excitement died down and the farmers dispersed.