RIOT AT WANGANUI

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9045, 17 May 1915, Page 7

RIOT AT WANGANUI

ANTI-GERMAN FEELING SHOPS WRECKED AND LOOTED BY EXCITED CROWD THE MAYOR INJURED. DISTURBANCE BASTS FIVE HOURS. Special to the “Times.” WANGANUI, May 16. In the past Wanganui has been able pride itself on the absence of' ikinkm in the town, but on Satur- : ovonnc a disturbance took place; ■*'*w7i; c h - rank as one of the most, ”ser 4 /Art of its kind ever witnessed an-f place in the Dominion. Ever eo the war started there has been; very strong feeling here, as else- 1 ere throughout the Dominion, that ? Government has been altogether; * lax in its treatment of Austrians 1 d Germans, and that all male enemy poets if unnauralised should be inned, and if naturalised placed under r veil lance.; lino Lusitania outrage l (owing on other fiendish acts by the naans. has accentuated that feeling, d tho climax came on Saturday even- % when the shop occupied in the lenue bv Air C. Heinold, pork ■ teller, was completely wrecked by a mob. Air Heinold, who has been in business here for some twelve years, is n naturalised Britisher, a prominent member of tho Beidertafel, and a wellconducted. good citizen. It is alleged, however, that ho has been rather indiscreet on occasions in his references the war. but whether this is t, rumours to that effect have gamcurrency, and as usual in such

-ses have lost nothing in circulation. Durincr the last week it was reported that his shop was to be raided and ho himself, and two slhop hands, both Gormans, received type-written warnings from someone signed “Lusitania.' 1 The two shopmen became scared on Saturday mornng, and gave themselves tip to the police with the request that .thev should be interned. Mr Hcinold thut up his shop about 5 o’clock and went home, hut this did not deter Mioso who were bent on. mischief. About 8.30 in the evening cam© the first signs of trouble, some stones being thrown, smashing one or two of the -idows. Other stones wore thrown at tervals from the crowd which was adually swelling in size. It was not rtil after 10 o’clock that matters bene serious, however. The crowd by is time must have numbered about 10. The police were present in co, but were powerless to check the one-throwing which was indulged in ntil every particle of glass was smashed to nieces, and even the window cashes had been knocked out. The jceno was one which almost beggars description. The crowd made repeated rushes towards the shop, yelling “Lusitania 1“ “Down with the Germans 1 etc., keeping up. a fusillade of stones, bombs and ■ crackers the while. If a policeman grabbed a stone-thrower the trowd immediately charged the man in bine, and he was compelled to lot go Jus hold, occasionally being toppled RAID ON HALLENSTEIN’S. ihout 11 o’clock the crowd made a ,/ush down the Avenue, and when opposite Hallenstein’s establishment at the corner of Bidgway street and the Avenue, stones were thrown smashing all the valuable plate-glass windows. Back the mob then went to Heinold s, and looting of the contents of the shop commenced. Soon the place was cleared of everything, including the scales, be cash register " and some poultry *ch was in the back yard. During bombardment the shop windows oining suffered considerably. THE MAYOR ASSAULTED.

lie Mayor (Mr Mnckay) attempted address the mob from a balcony osito, but got mo further than to j “Fellow-citizens, I appeal to yon the name of British justice”—when was counted out and several stones , - e thrown, also a shower of bombs j crackers. One of the bombs stnick ■ Mackav under the eye, inflicting nastv wound, while one or two of the police were hit, with •stones. It was a wild, disorderly , mob, and the damage done must run into hundreds . of mounds. ALL THAT WAS LEFT. This morning the only thing which could bo seen in Heinold’s shop was the counter. It ’wag. fully 2 o'clock before the streets were cleared of the rioters, manv of whom went home laden with hams, saveloys, and other goods. It is said that other demonstrations will be made until such time «s the Government wakes _ up to a realisation of its responsibility in’the ■itter. Many of those who participated in •the rioting declare that they were not actuated by any feeling against Hoinold so much as by resentment at the sunrnenees of the Government m allowing enemy subjects so .much freedom. They furtbey say that _if the "’oyernment does nob take an/ action ’the way of interning enemy subjects wi they intend to take the law into fr own hands. ANOTHER. ACCOUNT. Press Association, WANGANUI, May 16. iiotoiifl soenea were witnessed in the lets last night, the storm centre hog a- nork butcher’s shop occupied y a naturalised German named C. Hoinold. Early in the evening a growd gathered outside the promises, which, in consequence of persistent rumours, was closed and the lights extinguished. By 10 o’clock a crowd adf several thousands was in the ’vicinity, and feeling was running-high. A series of ugly rushes was overpowered by .the police, but the plate - glass windows were smashed by a fusillade of stones. The Mayor tried to address the crowd, but was howled down. During the riot the plate-glass windows of the Melbourne Company’s drapery premises adjoining were also smashed. By 11 o’clock Heinold’s windows in both (he upstairs Portion and the shop had been completely wrecked. The culminating scene was witnessed when a serritorial in uniform climbed on to a verandah above the and hoisted the Union Jack amid groat ey merit, the crowd singing the National Anthem and patriotic songs. At this stage the unruly element in the crowd commenced to shout, “What about the others?” A wild rush was started for Hallenstein Bros., a threestoreyed building at the corner of the Avenue and Eidgway street, a. block ewav. Here all the windows were smashed. During tho stone-throwing

tae Alavor, who was bleeding from a stone wound in the face, again addressed the crowd, and urged them not to disgrace the/town, ai(d to be British. Tho rioting continued till midnight, rhen the stone-throwing gradually ceased. One vouth was seen to deliberately throw a full-sized brick at Hallenstein’s windows, and-all tho plate-glass windows in these premises were subseouontlv smashed. Tho crowd proceeded along the street to tho Bristol Piano Co., where two windows were broken. At the height of tho trouble feeling was intense, and there were threats to wreck the premises of qiuto a number of shopkeepers. The police handled the situation with tact, but were powerless to provent damage being done.