EMPEROR’S FUNERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1926, Page 7

EMPEROR’S FUNERAL.

UNPRECEDENTED SCENES.

WILD DISORDER OCCURS.

INFLUENCE OF COMMUNISTS

THE PALL BEARERS STRIKE. By Telegraph—Press Ass®.—Copyrigut. Received June 13, 11.10 p.m. Tokio, June 12. In anticipation of a serious uprising on the occasion of the funeral of the ex-Einperor of Korea, the police at .Seoul raided the headquarters of the nialcontents and seized documents affording proof that funds were supplied from the Vladivostock headquarters of the Third Internationals for the purpose of fomenting a Communistic demonstration revolt during the funeral. Many thousands of Koreans from all parts of Korea and Japan flocked to Seoul. The police were strongly reinforced, 3000 guarding the route of the funeral. Many malcontents were gaoled as a result of the poliee raids, but only the leaders were kept in prison. The funeral was the largest ever seen in the Orient, more than 30,000 walking in the procession. The coffin was enclosed in a huge wooden panoply carried on the shoulders of 200 pall-bearers. The coffin was followed by Viscount Matsura, representing the Japanese Emperor. Then came the Prince and Princess, followed by representatives of Tokio diplomatics and thousands of visitors and professional weepers. Ovei a quarter of a million visitors entered the city procession. When nearing the fjiner.il place the procession was thrown into ccnfusion by a body of students attempting to distribute inflammatory literature. The students joined in, shots adding to the disturbance. During the procession the whole of the pall-bearers struck, alleging that they had been ill-treated and abandon ing the catafalque on the road two miles from the' grave. Coolies were hastily dispatched from Seoul to replace the strikers while the cortege waited.