DAMAGE IN CITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21159, 16 April 1932, Page 10

DAMAGE IN CITY.

STJRVEX OF SHOPS.

ROUGH ESTIMATE OF £II,OOO

BROKEN GLASS AND THEFTS

JEWELLERS AND CLOTI HERS

,\ detailed survey of Queen Street made by the IfEIIAI.D yesterday indicated that the damage caused by Thursday's riot totalled more than £II,OOO. Ihe actual figures were, as follows: —liroken windows. £5450; losses of stock bv looting and damage. C 5893; total, £11.340. 'l'llis is necessarily a very approximate estimate, as it is compiled from figures given bv the shopkeepers themselves before they had, in many cases, made, an accurate assessment. In some instances the value of windows that had been broken was given from definite quotations for replacement, but in the majority of cases it was assessed merely bv judging the si/.e and comparing i( with a window of known value No account has been taken of the value of siirnwriting upon broken windows, which in some cases was elaborate and rostlv. On the other hand there is to he considered the factor of salvage, as cases occurred in which huge areas of a broken sheet remained intact and serviceable for other uses. Difficulties of Assessment. Sonir shopkeepers stated that they had not troubled to secure a quotation for replacing llieir broken witidows, but had given the glazier instructions to go ahead. Others said tliev had not estimated (lie value of broken'glass as it was a matter for their landlords, while some did not know upon whom the responsibility for repairs wo uld fall. A number of shopkeepers suffered little from looting and were rendilv abln to make a detailed inventory of their losses. Others who lost heavily were, from the nature of their stock, also able to make a fairly accurate estimate, but the goods sold iii some premises were so varied that fn accurate survey could not be completed. Jewellers Lose Over £4OOO. The largest single estimate of aggregate loss is that of Mr. David Silk, jeweller, who names the figure of £2COO. Mr. Silk's shop, with its wide vestibule, offered peculiar advantages to the looters, who smashed windows containing no fewer than ten stock cases. In these was ;i vcrv wide variety of goods, including diamond and gem rings, signet rings, greenstone articles, amber, eF'ctro-plate. cutlery, clocks, and many trays of watches. 'Flic entire contents were taken in one clean sweep. In the process of smashing the windows, complete destruction was wrought on glass shelves and other interior fixtures. Mr. Silk estimates the ruined glass to be worth about £2OO.

Another clean sweep of £4OO worth of stock was made at the shop o,f Mr. Walter Denison, jeweller, between the Vulcan Lane and Hhortland Street junctions. The rioters broke the. principal window pain and took absolutely everything behind it. There wore no d'amonds on view, but the goods included single-stone gem rings and clocks and watches. The thieves even took away a 400-day clock under a glass shade—a peculiarly difficult !c to convey intact. A Wise Precaution. A fevi doors lower down, the shop of Skoates Brottiers, jewellers, on tho corner of Shorthand Street, was robbed of everything in its windows, exe: pt one watch. A stork-taking made only a few days ago enables tho loss to be placed at. almost exactly £SOO. The goods embraced a wide range, including some very fine English clocks and a large array of highclass watches. All the windows wore smashed, and tho damage is not far under £IOO. Mr. J. A. Paseoe, jeweller, Victoria Arcade, escaped with the loss of only three, ne.-klrts, although four windows and a glass door were smashed. Mr. Pascoe makes a rule of renuning all his stock from the windows at the close of the day, except for u few articles of no groat valu:\ used to relieve the windows from complete bareness. The manager of the Watch Depot. Dilworth Building, Mr. A. U. Taylor, estimates his loss of stock, namely, everything that was behind four broken panes, at over £3OO. No diamonds were ineluded A moderate-sized hole was made in one window of Stewart. Dawson and Company, al the. corner of Durham Street Hast. The thieves were abb to make awav with the contents of two trays of watches and some other goods estimated to be worth £l5O.

Much tho same occurred at the shop of A. Kobn, Limited, a few floors lower down. The manager, Mr. K. H. Kolin, was in H:.s Majesty's Theatre when the riot, broke out, and made his way to the shop in time to empty the window after between £SO and £IOO worth of watches and other articles had been stolen. Notable exceptions to the general loss were tho promises of W. Coltnian and " The Jewel Casket," Queen's Arcade, which were unharmed.

Mr. .1. Ziman's shop, opposite tho chief post oflico, was made a special target for missiles, this being evidenced by the fact that some shops in the vicinity were not harmed. Mr. Ziman commenced an inventory of his stock yesterday and estimated the extent of his loss at between £4OO and £SOO. Drapers and Clothiers. The premises of Horace Bull, Limited, men's outfitters, Power Board Buildings, wore among those, to sufler most severely. Eighty overcoats, three dozen hats, dozens of ties and a large quantity of underwear, totalling £6OO in value, were stolen from the windows. The damage, to windows was estimated at- £2;>o. We are still on deck and still smiling," said Mr Hull.

The value of thy windows broken nt tlie pi (niises of Sinil h and Caughev, Limited, was 1500. Very little looting occurred here, but one of the employees who was standing in a window was ivirowlv missed bv a piece of stone that hurtled through the The piemises of Milne and ( hoyee. Limited. also suffered heaviW from window breakages, the damage in tins case ill,so I .ems; estimated at, ilfiOO. No looting occurred,"but a number of valuable wax figures were, damaged when bc;ng hurriedly vetuuved inside the shop by assist-

The two shops of Hugh Wright. Limited, were both attacked, but although 111:-) damage to windows was estimated at £2OO, the losses of stock amounted onlv to about £25. John Court, Limited, had seven large window panes on their CJiiren Street fi outage smashed, but no large holes were made and no Mock was lost eldamaged. The estimate lor the glass is £100."

HAN ON ATII KHINCiS

POSITION IN OTHER CENTRES. |nv |-B!.E<;n \ I'lll'H t'-SS ASSOCIATION. 1 \VI\I,I,I Nt!T(.)N, Friday. Inquiries were made of the Public Service Commissioner and the Commissioner of I'oliee today as to the position with respect to public meetings. Although definite was disclosed it is under"stood fhe Auckland announcement that no public demonstration or meeting will be permitted until further notice will apply to Wellington and also to all other centres of population.