WRECKED TOWN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 7

WRECKED TOWN.

CHAPLAIN’S EXPERIENCE. There wore only about 200 rioting soldiers .left in Liverpool ,at six o’clock last night, and of this number two were arrested (says a Sydney newspaper of February 15). One of the soldiers before being taken by ,the police struck Constable Tillott a serere blow on the face, and while the two prisoners were being taken to the lock-up the mob attacked the police, hurling stones and bottles at them. Sergeant Kelly and other police oflicers were also struck. The three hotels—the Commercial, the Railway and the Golden Fleece—which were invaded by the soldiers yesterday. presented a battered' appearance this morning. The doors were closed, and workmen were engaged in •epairing the damage, but it- will be some time before the Commercial Hotel, which suffered most, will resume business. The streets in which the hotels are situated were littered with thousands of pieces of broken bottles and other articles. Captain Pyke. Congregational chaplain at the Casula Camp, this morning related’ his experiences with the rioters at Liverpool yesterday:—“When the soldiers left Casula yesterday morning.” ho said,' “I drove to the town and met them returning from the Liverpool camp. Tire men seemed orderly enough at first, and appeared to be returning to Casula. Suddenly a cask of beer. was rolled out' into the street, and' this was the signal for the men to break away and riot. I got among the men and appealed to thor. to play the game. They at first resented my interference, hut when it was known T was a clergyman! I was treated with respect. The men. however, got out of baud, but- although I was struck on the left shoulder with a battle of beer, the men did. not deliberately interfere with me. When the soldiers broke into the cellar of the Commercial Hotel T went down among them and tried to appeal to their lotiour. They declared their respect tor my position, but went on looting, bunking and destroying property. “Tho lead gas meter connection was broken in the hotel, and straw and brosen furniture were stacked up to make ,) fire to burn the place, down. This was set- alight, hut being wet with boor did not burn, freely, and T had no trouble in stamping out the fire.” Captain-Chaplain Pyke remained vith the soldiers all day, and until 'ate at night. He moved about amongst the shower of bottles . and denes, arid although his new uniform van discoloured with stains of beer and blackened with mud, which was splash'd up from the streets, as well as being spattered with blood, lie claims that tho men treated him with the greatest respect, and in many cases responded to his appeal for order. Mrs Isles was upslnjrs in the hotel v/.cn thij not; was going on. and tho .•h a main wanted to get her out of the building. He with some others brought her down, and yhen he appeal'd to rhe soldiers to ho men and not nnlest a. woman they stood hack and sheered while she was conducfed to a jottage next door. The Liverpool railway station this norning was picketed with an armed juiard’ with fixed bayonets.