CITY RAVAGED

Southland Times, Issue 19098, 16 November 1923, Page 5

CITY RAVAGED

THE MELBOURNE RIOTS ORGY OF LAWLESSNESS SMASHING AND LOOTING. Although discontent had been growing in the Melbourne Police Force for some time regarding conditions and pay generally, comparison being made with other States, especially New South Wales, the actual cause of the strike appears to have been trivial enough (says the Melbourne correspondent of the Christchurch Press, writing under date of November 6). It seems that some time ago there was a system of supervision of men on beat duty by senior constables in plain clothes. Strong exception was taken to this, and it was abandoned. Recently, however, it was reinstituted. High officials state that no representations were made in the matter, and the Commissioner was not aware that any discontent was caused by it. The rank and file, however, -dubbed plain clothes . men "spooks,” and grumbled that they were being subjected to a system of espionage. Without any warning the night patrol at the chief station, when about to go on duty on Wednesday, October 31, issued an ultimatum refusing to go on duty unless the system was withdrawn. It was then ten o’clock, and for two hours the central areas of the city yvere without police protection while feverish negotiations yvere in progress. At length matters were temporarily patched up, but on the following day the trouble spread and by night over 400 policemen in the metropolitan area had refused duty. COERCION OF LOYALISTS. By Friday the force was absolutely depleted. and those who remained loyal were subjected to every possible humiliation by pickets who argued with them openly in the streets while they were on traffic and other duty. Backed by jeering crowds of larrikins and others, the pickets would browbeat and threaten. Some of them state that unionist lorry drivers would deliberately seek to dislocate the traffic in order to create an accident in which the

traffic constable yvould be injured. In spite of this, however, numerous constables stuck to their posts, contending that their oath of allegiance precluded them from honourable participation in anything in the nature of a strike, however just the cause of the grievance might be. Many, however, yielded to the coercion. Negotiations continued during the day, and at that stage it was open for men to resume unconditionally, lhe men weakened, and i.t largely-attended meetings offered to return on condition that an inquiry should be held, it being understood that the system would be withdrawn in the meantime. This offer the authorities refused to entertain, and shortly afterwards the Premier came out with the definite announcement that all mutineers would be dismissed and would in no circumstances be reinstated. UNRESTRAINED RIOT. On Saturday afternoon and evening the full consequences of lhe action of the police were made manifest by the most disgraceful scenes which have ever been witnessed in an Australian city, and which were comparable only with scenes of revolution. By 5 o’clock it was clear that the situation was getting out of hand. The shouting and disorderly groups had swollen to crowds, which the overcoming night emboldened. What police there were were kicked and stoned, and anyone who took their part was brutally assaulted. Soon the pillaging commenced and from then onwards the centre of the city was a scene of unrestrained riot. Pitched battles were in progress on all hands, and on no provocation men found themselves assailed by hooligans with sticks and empty bottles. A small party of the blue-jackets from the ships of the Fleet which were now in Mel bourne attempted to restrain a section of the crowd, but they were set upon by overwhelming numbers, felled to the ground, and kicked and beaten into insensibility. A BOLSHEVIST ORGY. The minutes between half-past 7 and 8 o’clock were devoted to a Bolshevist orgy. The plunderers concentrated upon the jewellers’ and drapers’ windows. The crashing of plate glass sounded like a running salvo. Silver plate, clocks, watches, rings, men’s wear, and other loot beyond emuneration were taken away. Raucous shouts and laughter marked the struggle of an urchin to get away with a clock as bulky as his body. Suddenly the throng split and scattered all ways from the centre. Yells of warning intimated the return of the police. Outnumbered—almost overwhelmed—as they were, they yet called a halt to the Bourke street raids. Swinging along the footpaths, they interrupted the looting only so long as they were within distance to carry out rush tactics, but the halfcleared, gaping windows constantly beckoned the mob. First there would be a surge and savage sweep to complete the clearance of a jewellery and plate display at the Leviathan end; then would be heard roars, hoots and curses as the handful of police turned in their tracks and bit and thudded their way to the heart of the raid; then, having cleared the shop front momentarily, there would be renewed smashing of glass from farther along. Perhaps some sane citizen would send up a call of warning, or a frenzied shop proprietor would run to a uniformed group with a verbal “5.0.5.” For upwards of an hour the efforts of the rioters were concentrated on the jewellers’ shops, the glittering contents of which hud attracted their cupidity. They kicked in the windows and clipbing upon each others’ shoulders, in order to reach the highest shelves, cleared everything within reach. A corner in darkness caught their attention and the rich assortment of diamond rings in a jeweller’s establishment urged them to fresh action. With lowered heads a mass of looters forged in front of the shop. Some got their hands on the spoils, but there was a snarling recoil from the black recesses of the shop. A tall man leaped into the battered window, a gleaming revolver in hand. With agile feet and a flailing left arm he routed the scum, and leaping after them with pistol out-thrust this way and that, he cleared and held the footpath clear. Twice he was rushed by groups armed with bottles, but he retreated to his window and behind its jagged edges held off his foes. A RACE FOR SPOILS. As one man and with a common impulse, masses then debouched from Bourke street cente and dashed for the Mont de Piete. Racing to outstrip one another, men flung themselves upon the darkened windows. Rings, watches, brooches, jewellery of every description, were greedily seized by the rioters, who were able to continue their depredations without interruption. It was seven minutes after the dastardly work had begun when the police, having been urgently apprised of the new development, swept along Bourke street on the run. The “storm” squad comprised five constables with drawn batons, but close on their heels came a strong force numbering 55 regular police, including plain-clothes men and an inspector. The siege was raised barely soon enough to prevent the demolition of the doorway and the complete wrecking of the premises. GOODS LITTER PATHS. Stones, bottles and shod feet were suddenly employed and all manner of men’s wear was stolen in armfuls from a draj»ery store. Hats were worn or kicked about the street, and hatboxes served as material for clownish antics. Rouglis brought up some dummy figures and an empty case and hurled them into the brilliantly lit displays. Just before the patrol cars appeared to turn the tide, the worst elements held unfettered sway. Riot ranged up and down Elizabeth street. Nearly every window in the group of shops between the Mont de Piete and the Savings Banks quarters was battered and a wide variety of wares instantly littered the paths. Tinned fruits and similar goods were picked up by the dozen. Women gathered skirts in hand,

turned them into capacious holders and filled them and scuttled north, south, east and west. Small boys, too, were busy, and youths stacked tinned foods in piles and bore them down the lanes. A touch of the grotesque market! the orgy. Young men headed a cheering troupe and for a moment appeared to be carrying women in a startlingly unconventional fashion. They were really bearing over the shoulders silk stockinged and daintily shod dummy figures. THE TASK OF THE POLICE. Remarkable work was accomplished by the police in hastening the clearance of the city. The throngs had become considerably expanded between half-past ten and eleven o’clock, when theatre and picturehouse patrons were discharged into the streets. Reinforcements of "specials” were arriving continually, and the mob jeered just as loudly as ever. When the loyalist! patrolled the riot area once more it became necessary for them to clear the packed Batons were used to persuade tardy movers. With such congestion there were bound to be casualties. Some men went down before the thuds of batons, some women and girls got underfoot, and were heard shrieking. With a charge or two further, and with constant admonition, the unruly folk and the sight-seers were hustled, at last, homewards. REPENTANT STRIKERS. POLICE SEEK REINSTATEMENT (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.)' (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) MELBOURNE, November 15. A large number of police strikers attended the Police Association rooms and agreed to a resolution passed by the Council of the Association that they detach themselves from the Trades Hall and place themselves unreservedly in the hands of the Government.