SERIOUS MINING RIOT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11538, 26 March 1898, Page 5

SERIOUS MINING RIOT.

SIE J. FOEEEST INJUEED. THE VIOLENCE OF THE MOB. EEADING THE EIOT ACT. United Press Association—By Electric TelegraphCopyright. Received March 25, 9.45 a.m. KALGOOELIE, Maech 25. The Governor, the Premier (Sir John Forrest) and the Ministerial party have returned here after opening the railway to Menzies. A deputation waited on the Premier with reference to the alluvial difficulty. When the Premier’s visit was fixed, the miners began to flock in, and when the train arrived with the party, fully ten thousand people, with bands and banners, bad gathered at the railway station. The Governor went on to Coolgardie, hut Sir J. Forrest went to Wilkie’s Hotel,'where he received a deputation. The diggers hooted him all the way, and then attempted to take possession of the hotel, but the police frustrated them. An appeal was made to the Premier to repeal the ten feet regulation and release the men imprisoned at once. After listening patiently Sir J. Forrest said that the men had made out a better case than he originally thought they had; but the men who were imprisoned had defied the law, and must purge their contempt and apologise. The delegates present resented this suggestion. Sir J. Forrest said that the men persisted in slating that they were obeying law and order. If so, they must obey the Court’s decrees, and he would not be hustled into any action. He must have the law obeyed. Eegardingthe amendment of the law he said that ho would consider it in the Cabinet and give an answer in a week. By this time the crowd outside had become turbulent, and several members of the deputationwent out to try and pacify them. One of the Bulong residents said: “ Sir John, allow me to tell you your answer is most unsatisfactory; we want your opinion on the ten-feet regulation, and also a definite answer to the appeal for the four men’s release.” The Premier got angry, and descended the stairs of the hotel, intending to go to the Boulder to receive a deputation, and also to visit the View Lake and Consols mines. When he got outside the hotel he was rushed. Thousands pressed on him; he was hit on the face and bruised on the side, despite the efforts of the police. At length he managed to reach the railway station, but the diggers held possession of the station, and it was impossible to get the door open. The Premier by this time was much knocked about. The Warden, seeing that his life was in danger, read the Eiot Act, and mounted troopers rode the crowd down and galloped away for muskets. By the time they returned, the door of the station had been forced open, and the Premier, having got through, the door was barricaded again. The Premier having entered a carriage, the train steamed towards Boulder, but, hearing that the rails had been torn up, the train returnedto Kalgoorlie, and went thence to Perth, Sir J. Forrest says that he is sorry he came here.

A meeting of ratepayers has been called to protest against the insult offered to the Premier. The language used by tlie rioters was most violent. It is the most serious mining riot since the Eureka, stockade.