Chaos at Memel Elections

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 231, 1 October 1935, Page 7

Chaos at Memel Elections

Serious Clash in Frontier Town VOTERS TOOK HALF-AN-HOUR AT BALLOT United Press Association. —By Eleclrlo Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Monday, 10.20 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 30. The Times' Momel correspondent states that voters in desperation at the chaos of the polling wore involved in a serious clash at tho frontier town ol Jikmaipkai. German voters stormed the olcction committee, smashed the booth and broke the urns containing tho ballot papers. They roughly handled tho police reinforcements and sis policemen were sent to hospital, one not being expected to live. The crowd occupied tho railway station and post office. Order is reported to have been restored, but the situation is critical as it is feared the rebels may be aided by Prussians crossing the border. The Times’ Kovno correspondent says the Lithuanian Cabinet hurriedly met and amended the electoral law enabling voting to be concluded to-day. This action was taken because of the cumbersome method of giving the voters perforated lists containing the names of 187 candidates. Tho voters had to tear oil’ the names of their 21 favoured candidates and this occupied on an average hall' an hour. In the caso of old people .the task took far longer.

Many women ware crushed in the struggio to reach the booths, while fighting broke out a.t night in a village near the German border, three Lithuanians and two policemen • being injured.