MEETING DISPERSED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21515, 12 June 1933, Page 10

MEETING DISPERSED

UNEMPLOYED IN STREET LARGE MUSTER OF POLICE THE PLATFORM SEIZED A large party of police, under Inspector J. W. Hollis, dispersed a meeting of unemployed which had been arranged to take place in Quay Street at 2 p.m. yesterday. Threats of prosecution for obstruction served to break up a gathering of some 200 people. Early in the afternoon the Salvation Army Band was playing on the spot selected for the unemployed meeting, and as soon as the band had coneluded its programme tho unemployed produced a platform and erected it, in spite of an earlier warning that the meeting would not be permitted to take place in the street. A woman, apparently a supporter of the unemployed, promptly sat on the platform.

The woman was immediately requested to move, and constables seized the platform before the first speaker had mounted it, and carried it to the Queen's Wharf police station. Members of the police party then moved quietly through the crowd, pointing out to all present that their names would be taken and they would bo prosecuted for obstruction if they did not move away. The crowd commenced to disperse without delay, and the unemployed were told they could join another party, the United Front, in Victoria Park. The leaders of the unemploved decided to accept the suggestion of the police and adjourn to Victoria Park, and were thereupon given their platform. With the departure of the platform and the speakers the crowd broke up quickly. Many people who* bad been waiting to go on board the French sloop Savorgnan de Brazza returned to the queue, while others followed to Victoria Park, where several speakers addressed the crowd under the eyes of 10 uniformed constables', one mounted policeman and several detectives. The police had to be tactful to avoid causing any bother, but if the crowd had not dispersed we would have taken action," .Inspector Hollis said later. " The police attended to show the official attitude toward street meetings. Free speech may be enjoyed in a public park, but obstruction is not permitted on streets and footpaths."