MORE RIOTING AT AUCKLAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 April 1932, Page 7

MORE RIOTING AT AUCKLAND

CLASHES IN KARANGAHAPE ROAD SPECIAL CONSTABLES USE BATONS •FREELY DAMAGE TO SHOP WINDOWS i (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. An ugly fight between special constables and a section of rioters occurred opposite the premises of the Bon Marche millinery shop in Karangahape road last night. Two men were seriously injured by baton wounds, and a dozen more received blows of a less serious character. A stone thrown through a shop window was the start of the fight. A section of special constables in packed formation, brandishing their batons above their heads, rushed forward to arrest the man, shouting: “Stand back! Stand back!” to the dense crowd of people—men, women and children —who got in their way. As they jostled the crowd curses were hurled at them by the men in front, and women shouted: “Leave him alone, dirty scabs!” and the next instant the street was thrown into hopeless confusion. The men used their fists, and the “specials” laid about with their batons. For three or four minutes the street resounded with blows, the scuffling of feet, and frenzied yelling. A woman was knocked down in the melee, and was carried into a shop, and half a dozen rioters with bleeding heads and arms reeled out of the struggling mass, leaving one of their number in the hands of the “specials.” The men who were in the forefront of the attack gradually thinned out as some were put out of action by wounds, and others got out of reach of the “specials.” ; - At least one man was arrested. He 'was bleeding profusely from a deep gash on his head and was led away by two “specials” through the jeering and hooting mob. u , ■ i

Groups of “specials” became involved in further actions as the evening grew on. Their tactics were to band closely together, two or three deep, and move forward through the surging throng whenever the crash and shatter of a breaking,window offered them a point in the confused mass of humanity on 'which to centre their attentions. Their progress in this fashion was the signal for the outbreak of a storm of shouting and screaming, men and youths hurling oaths upon them, and urging each other to “go for them, and stand your ground.”

For 20 minutes or more one section of “specials” was kept moving from place to place in the dense throng by intermittent spasms of window-break-ing. No sooner had they turned in one direction than a resounding crash on the opposite side of the street caused them to dash forward, alter their course, and make for the place where the offender was thought to be. The crowd impeding them was so closely .packed, however, that by the time they reached the spot everyone round the window had scattered, and all they could do was to keep part of the crowd moving until another window was broken on the opposite side of the street. A dozen windows or more were broken in this manner.

EARLIER REPORT

v QUEEN STREET QUIET ' WINDOWS BARRICADED (By Telegraph—Press Association) AUCKLAND, This Day. Although the greatest crowd was concentrated in Karangaliape road last night, Queen street was filled with pedestrians and motor traffic till after 9 o’clock. Little business was done, and when the shops closed the stocks were removed from the windows, which were' barricaded. Squads of armed men, mounted and on foot, passed up and down, and there were groups of police and special constables. By 10 o’clock the street was quiet, and 'hfter the theatres had emptied conditions were tranquil.

PROHIBITED

ALL PROCESSIONS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS AUCKLAND, 15th April. The Mayor and police have prohibited all processions and public meetings, (not merely those of the unemployed), till further notice. At 2 o’clock 800 specials had been enrolled, and it is expected that the total will exceed 1000 before evening. Mr E. Lark, Auckland president of the unemployed workers’ movement, was arrested this afternoon, and also a man named Sharp. The city continues full of rumours, practically all of which have been investigated and found baseless. ACTION AT TIMARU TIMARU, This Day. The police have definitely decided that henceforth there shall be no processions, demonstration's or open air meetings within the precincts of the borough. NEWS IN SYDNEY ■' : ' ’ SYDNEY, 15th April. The Auckland disorders are featured in the newspapers, and are also freely discussed. LONDON SURPRISED LONDON, 15th April. 1 News of the Auckland rioting, displayed by headlines in each of the morning newspapers, came as a great surprise, and even a shock to the British public, , who were unprepared by earlier cables and did not suspect the imminence of trouble. RESULTS OF ECONOMIC CRISIS “MANCHESTER GUARDIAN” COMMENTS (Received 10th April, 9.50 a.rii.) LONDON, 15th April. The “Manchester Guardian” in an editorial says: “The New Zealand riots are disturbing. They have reminded us of the poverty and hardship brought by the economic crisis. The conditions must unquestionably be serious to lead to such a display of violence in a country no less law abiding than ours. The Government has heroically tried to balance the Budget, but cannot by itself alter the world depression. Ndw Zealand, like every other country, is suffering from Europe’s crazy postwar economics.”