WELLINGTON UNEMPLOYED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17953, 3 December 1932, Page 13

WELLINGTON UNEMPLOYED

ATTEMPTED DEMONSTRATION

ENDS IN A TIASCO AVERTED BY POLICE (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this clay. A situation fraught with danger was cleverly averted by the police in V el' lifigton this morning when a move was mado by unemployed to converge on Parliament Buildings. Although there were possibilities of nasty consequences, tire whole affair proved to be the biggest fiasco in the history of the unemployed movement in Wellington. Elaborate arrangements had been made during the past few days by militant unemployed to demonstrate outside Parliament Buildings tjhis morning, but every move was known to the police, who have had their plans perfected lor dsys. The organisers believed they would have 10,000 men at their disposal, but a notice was issued last night by the police declaring that any procession to-day would be illegal. Deqpite this, about 600 men attempted to form a procession in Cambridge terrace, the intention being to march through the city to Parliament Buildings. POLICE! RESERVES MOBILISED

The whole of the police reserves had .been mobilised from an early hour and si rlpimediately the procession seemed like v gathering it was quietly broken up bv the police, who had the leaders sorted otit and removed and their banners to a place where they could do no . harm. , Between 300 and 400 men decided to carry on with the scheme by walking in groups along the pavement and congregating in front of Parliament Buildings, where they intended to hold a demonstration. The police shepherded them all the way along tho streets, and every time a banner appeared Lie bearer was removed. One man appeared on Lambton quay carrying a skeleton, but he and the skeleton went the way of the other leaders. By the time they reached the Government Buildings about a dozen of the leaders had been taken in charge. As soon as an effort was made to congregate in the centre of the quay mounted police shifted the mob back to the pavements, where, leaderless, they ' stood about in groups. The presence ot 30 or 40 policemen under Inspector lander, with the Commissioner of Pdlice, Mr. Wohlman, in tile vicinity attracted a crowd of sightseers, which grew to about 200 at noon, a quarter of an hour after tiic concentration movement had begunSPEAKERS ARRESTED

Anyone who attempted to address the / mob was taken into custody and this was done efficiently and quietly, except in one case where there was a bit of a sc «ffle. Gradually the spectators denoted. and by 12.30 p.m. there were drily about SCO people in sight, with a large force of police occupying all the strategical positions. The sight ot a lame bulge on each constable s hip, and lcnm staves on the saddles of the halfdogen mounted men who moved up and down kept the demonstrators m order and no xeyioqs effort was made to gather in a large group. , . . . _ wi Or>e party of about one hundred met, r "Tbnt two constables quietly worked them- : " ' into centre end ordered, then dispersal. .With hardly a murmur they shifted,'' knowing Ml well that the . two men who gaVqthe orders had rcanioi cements all around theth. For something like 10 minutes -or a quarter of ati hour the situation "as tense no one knowing what would happen, hut by one o’clock there was only a handful left. In the meanwhile, about two dozen of the leaders had been taken in charge. ... While the mob was outside the building Major-General Sinclair-Borgess, general officer commanding tho New Zealand Forces, was inside, although it is pot known whether his presence had aHvihiiur to do with llm situation which develop. Although they wore not seen-, it is understood the police had warned largo numbers of specials who were on duty after'the not on May 10. to -'again stand by. FIVE ARRESTS MADE (Pot Press Association.)

In connection with the prevention by the police of the demonstration to-day, five arrests were made, the charges bciitff disorderly behavior and breaches of the by-laws. The men, who will appear before the magistrate oh Monday, ahe Roy Evans, John Janies Porter, diaries Thomas Holden, William Henry GWdwvn, and a man named Wilkinson. PROCESSION IN GISBORNE / Accompanied by beavers of banners inscribed with, the slogans: 4 No Conipulsory Campa,” and ‘‘Sustenance Without Work,” a procession of unemployed men passed through the business area this afternoon, gathering strength until lift/the total parade represented from 100 "T to 150 men. The procession started " and finished at the Unemployed Workers’ Hall, where the men dispersed after endorsing motions embodying the sentiments expressed on their banners.