POLICE POSSE SWOOPS ON HUNGER-MARCHERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1034, 26 July 1930, Page 9

POLICE POSSE SWOOPS ON HUNGER-MARCHERS

COMMUNISTS' WASHOUT FIFTEEN CAPTURES MADE SYDNEY, Friday. The “hunger march” on Sydney by some unemployed men from Cessnock, which they began on July 20, ended disastrously on the outskirts of the city today. The meagre contingent of 15 men, after tramping from Cessnock and Lith gow, found a posse of police awaiting them, with a police van, in Parramatta Road. A sergeant halted the marchers and informed them that they were taking part in an unlawful procession. He advised them to disperse. The men did so. but soon afterward they reformed, and were augmented by a few loafers from the sidewalks. In the twinkling of an eye the police swooped down on the misguided ones and arrested the 15 men. and bundled them into a police van, which shot away to Newtown almost before the onlookers realised what was happening. The Communist Party views the trek, as most others do, as a complete fiasco. The “hunger march," which was much heralded, and which was organised by two prominent Communists, was begun on July 20. Only six men took part in the start. A heavy frost before dawn bad made the empty streets particularly uninspiring even to the six enthusiasts and their departure was delayed until the sun had tagen the edge off tho keen atmosphere. A crowd of people saw the men off and some women accompanied them for a mile or so.