RETURNING HOME

Southland Times, Issue 21855, 4 November 1932, Page 7

RETURNING HOME

UNEMPLOYED MARCHERS DEMONSTRATORS UNDER ARREST SOME SENT TO PRISON (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 2. Large crowds, mainly composed of curious sightseers, were attracted to Westminster area last night by the announced intention of demonstrators of the unemployed workers’ movement, 50 strong, to present at the House of Commons a petition pressing for the abolition of the means test and economy cuts. Supporters of the movement, who first held a mass meeting at Camberwell Green, later proceeded to Westminster and mingled with the crowd. The unemployed marchers began to leave London to-day for their homes by motor coach and train. Most had been maintained while in London at the institutions of public assistance committees. Sir John Gilmour gave an account in the House of Commons of the disturbances last night, when, following meetings in ten parts of the metropolis, demonstrators proceeded to Parliament Square, which had to be cleared by the police. Later a crowd numbering about 3000 gathered in Trafalgar Square, and following an outbreak of disorder' on the outskirts it became necessary for the police to draw truncheons and disperse the gathering. The crowd returned later, but the Square was then cleared without batons. Five shop windows were broken near Trafalgar . Square and some damage was done in other parts of the metropolis. Twelve police and 32 others were injured, but not seriously. Forty-one arrests were made. The prisoners were dealt with .by magistrates to-day. Six months’ imprisonment was imposed in some cases and a few were fined, but in most instances remands were granted for furtheir inquiries. Sir John Gilmour, replying to a question, said he thought the House and country would realize the ineptitude of these demonstrations, and the Government would consider means of preventing them. The monthly unemployment figures which will be issued this week will show a drop in unemployment of about 100,000. This is all the more satisfactory because there is usually a seasonal increase in unemployment in the period of the year covered by the return. DEMONSTRATORS CHARGED SIX MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT. DISTURBANCE AT WORKHOUSE. London, November 2. Twenty-seven demonstrators appeared on various charges at Bow Street. One armed man, Edward James, was sentenced to six months’ hard labour for throwing a bottle and striking a trooper with a block of wood. John Gellately, who walked from Edinburgh, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for striking a constable with a stave and inciting the crowd to rush the police. Pandemonium occurred at the Fulham Workhouse where the County Council is housing and feeding 600 unemployed at a cost of £l5O daily. Casual inmates resented the marchers being allowed to buy rump steak and tobacco to supplement their rations, and demanded their inclusion in the ordinary rations and refused to do tasks. One hundred and forty police arrived and arrested 50, of whom 17 were charged with refusing to work. It is now disclosed that the petition with a million signatures which the marchers yesterday attempted to lodge in the House of Commons was deposited in the cloak room of the Charing Cross station when the deputation was turned back. The marchers to-day presented their receipt and asked for the return of the petition, but were informed that the police had called last night and confiscated the document.