RIOTOUS CROWD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17947, 14 November 1918, Page 4

RIOTOUS CROWD.

STONES THROWN AT POLICE STATION. HOSE QUELLS DISTURBANCE. A disturbance, arising out of the peace demonstrations, took place at the police station in Hereford Street about nine o'clock last night, and there were some signs of conflict between the police and the publicSenior Sergeant Cummings, who was seen as te the cause of the disturbance, stated that a large crowd was firing crackers in High Street, between Colombo Street and Cashel Street- Although complaints were made that the noise from crackers was having a bad effect on patients suffering from pneumonia and other diseases, the police were not instructed te stop the practice until to-day. About nine o'clock, however, tho firing in High Street became very frequent and dangerous. Word was sent to the station that a constable at the scene of the assembly was m trouble. Three members of the torco then walked to High Street, liiey were returning to the station, when they found that many people were following, under tho impression—quite a wrong one—that an arrest had been made. At the station, where the crowd made, hostilo demonstrations, ho asked them to disband and go awav, telling them that Superintendent Dwyer was suffering from deep bereavement, having recently lost two sous, one a soldier. A clergyman who happened to be there also addressed the crowd. Thev refused to listen to him, and jostled him. Some members of the crowd entered the _ Telegraph Department's yard, opposite the station, and gathered pieces of rock and stones, which were thrown at members of the force, several being struck. They were then told that. if they did not" disperse -'« hose would bo turned on them, and they would have a shower. As their hostilities were continued, two lengths of hose were run out and the water was turned on, with the result that the crowd soon melted away. No arrests wero made. Some of the rocks were about three inches square. One constable was hit on the head, another on the arm. Superintendent Dwyer, while standing in front of the Btation, was hit in the face with an apple.