One Thousad Specials

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6835, 16 April 1932, Page 7

One Thousad Specials

POLICE FORCE AUGMENTED AUCKLAND, Last Night. Over one thousand special constables were enrolled by tho police in tho city to-day as a safeguard against further disturbances. The Superintendent of Police has direct charge of all operations and ho has under his control military, naval and air force units, a largely augmented police force and the specials force. Tho detective office was transformed into a recruiting depot when six detectives were kept busy at typewriters taking details of those offering for special duty. Before eight o’clock men were waiting at tho office for enrolment, and there was a continual stream of applicants until well after midday. Later in tho afternoon, when the 1000 mark had been passed, it was necessary to close down on applications in order that tho special force should not be too unwcildy. All sorts and conditions of men offered their services, but the majority were young fellows of tho average city type.

DEFENCE FORCES IN CLOSE CO-OPERATION AUCKLAND, Last Night. In addition to the protection provided l)y the police force and special constabulary, Army, Navy and Defence Force units -were at hand in the city to-day. When the Polico Court opened in the morning detachments of naval men picketed the approaches, preventing any disorder in the environs of the Court, ■while they continued on duty during the day. Members of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve were asked to present themselves for service in the evening, and 200 men responded to the call, 56 of these being men on the non-activc list. They were employed in patrol duty, whilo two sections of naval men, equipped with steel helmets and batons, but without rifles or bayonets, were used in Karangahapc road. The permanent Defence Force, under the command of'Lieutenant-Colonel J. E. Duiean, was invested with the responsibil-

ity of protecting a number of positions in the city and suburbs. The force, which was equipped with steel helmets, rifles, bayonets and ammunition, was on duty all day and throughout the evening. Members of the permanent staff of the Hobsonville air base wore called into the city and wore held as a special reserve under control of the defence officers, who were closely co-opei-ating with the police. WAIKATO MOUNTEDS SWAP RIFLES FOR BATONS AUCKLAND, Last Night. Mounted men from Waikato comprising two squadrons of Waikato Mounted Rifles, who were in camp at Cambridge and volunteered for special duty in Auckland on Thursday night, reached the city this morning and were quartered at Epsopi showgrounds. The men were in uniform on arrival, but it was decided that they could not operate as a military force and were therefore changed into civilian garb and their arms were changed for batons.

The decision of the squadrons to offer their services for duty was reached following an appeal made by the Mayor of Auckland over the air for reinforcements, and at eleven o’clock on Thursday night those of the men who were asleep in camp were awakened, and a number were recalled from a dance in the township. A request for railway transport was made to the Railway authorities at Prankton and the necessary arrangements were speedily carried out. A railway officer was despatched to Cambridge and shortly after aroused the railway officers along the lino to Cambridge. A special train was ttien despatched to Cambridge, and shortly after threo o’clock this morning a start was made to entrain the men 1 and horses, the special getting away for the city by four o'clock. By 9.30 a.m. the squadrons were accommodated at the shrowgrounds in preparation for eventualities. The horses had their shoes removed to make their manoeuvres on paved road 3 safer. DISTRICT POLICE GO NORTH. Acting under instructions received following the riots in Auckland on Thursday evening, Constables Purvey, Goodwin and Evans, of tho Palmerston North force, and four others from the Palmerston North Police District, including Constables Lincoln (Foxton), Houston (Pahiatua) and Grainger (Levin) proceeded to Auckland yesterday.