MINISTER ASSAULTED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 232, 31 August 1937, Page 7

MINISTER ASSAULTED.

GOVERNMENT’S DISMISSAL URGED. TROUBLE IN YUGOSLAVIA. BELGRADE, Aug. 30. The Minister of Forests and Mines, Dr. Yankovitch, was subjected to a further assault, similar to that which occurred on August 23, when peasants broke up his meeting at Valjevo. The police fired. Ten were killed and 13 wounded.

Dr. Yankovitch fled to his hotel, where there was further pelting and damage done. Spenkers at other protest meetings warned the Regent, Prince Paul, that unless he dismissed the Government the peasants would march on Belgrade and enforce their demands.

When Dr Yankovitch arrived at Kragujevatz on August 23 to hold a meeting protesting against the attitude of the Orthodox Church in the Concordat dispute, 5000 peasants pelted him with eggs, tomatoes and stones. Whenever anjsrne appeared on the balcony of the hotel where Dr Ynilkovitch took refuge ho was greeted with showers of eggs. The whole facade of the hotel was plastered with missiles and all the windows smashed.

Tho police fixed bayonets and attempted to disperse the crowd. The peasants produced axes, revolvers, and carbines from which shots were fired into tho air, forcing the police to withdraw. Dr Yankovitch escaped by the back door, whereupon 10,000 peoplo formed themselves into a procession through tho town. At the protest meeting a woman urged the men to take up axes and revolvers and the women rolling-pins against tho Government.