RIOTING AT HAVANA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 11

RIOTING AT HAVANA.

MARTIAL LAW IN CUBA. FIGHTING IN THE STREETS. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. ACTION OF ARMY UNCERTAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received November 14. G. 35 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov. 13. A message from Havana, Cuba, says that in tho face of increasing unrest throughout the Republic the President, General Machado, to-day issued a decree suspending tho constitutional guarantees throughout Cuba. Rioting and street fighting between mobs of students and troops was renewed violently after tho Government had taken wide precautions against threatened disorders. The streets were filled with rioters. Much property was destroyed, especially in the neighbourhood of the office of the newspaper El Pais, where a woman was killed.

In an earlier disturbance, in which cavalry, infantry and police were attempting to control the crowds, there was considerable sabre fighting and gunfire. Martial law is now enforced.

Army trucks, manned by soldiers with machine-guns, are patrolling tho streets. The casualties include five killed and 12 injured. Failure of sugar prices, bad industrial conditions and the spreading of tho fever of unrest from South American republics induced tho rioting.

The police were told to fire to kill in order to control the rioters. A delegation of Cuban women and girls called on the Army to protect them from the police. The women's attitude is considered unusual. It is not known yet what action the Army will take in the disorders.

Desultory shooting continued into the night and some American citizens were seriously wounded. The students continued to wrangle with the police throughout the evening, although a largo body of tho citizens icmained indoors The Government to-day ordered the normal and elementary schools to be closed.