ROTHBURY MINE RIOTS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1929, Page 4

ROTHBURY MINE RIOTS

FATAL CLASH WITH POLICE TUMULTUOUS ANGRY CROWD. AUSTRALIA’S “BLACK MONDAY.” THE STORY OF THE MELEE. Sydney, Dec. 10. Not since the war has anything stirred Australia so much as did the fatal riots that occurred on the northern coalfields last Monday. It was indeed a black day in the history of the industrial movement of the Commonwealth, and the last of it will hot be heard for many years to come. For months the miners had threatened over and over again to resort to violence, but they seemed so content with a policy of passive resistance that these threats went for nought. When it was announced last Saturday that the miners had decided on a policy of mass picketing to prevent the panning of the Rothbury mine by free labour, under the auspices of the State Government—that the miners would concentrate over night —little notice was taken. Then, suddenly, news came of the serious riot, and the nation was stunned.

Remarkable scenes preceded the actual rioting. All through Sunday night great, parties of miners converged on the Rothbury pit from all parts of the •South 'Maitland coalfields. They went across the hilly roads in hired cars and buses and coal lorries; every means of conveyance was pressed into service, just as though some vast army was on the move to meet a sudden invasion by a hostile force. The vanguard pitched camp on a lonely part of the road, about a mile from the colliery gates.- At 2 a.m., in the pitch dark, camp fires were lit all over the country side until . about 60 or 70 of these were burning, and the whole of the valley was dotted with red glares. Around these fires groups of miners spent the night, some, singing and some listening to addresses. MASSING OF MEN AT DAWN. Then, at dawn, came the general massing of the men, and a vast human tide of miners swept down the road that leads to the colliery. Some of the more militant spirits were uttering threats, but were restrained by the older men, who are now prepared to admit that they saw the danger into which they were all drifting. ’ Most of the miners, who had been warned to bring food supplies to last them for a day at least carried their crib tins and many of them had water-bags. The men were not armed. They carried no sticks of any sort. Nevertheless, their anger increased as they marched on, and it was to be. seen, that gradually the militants—comprising ' young men for the most part —were securing the upper hand. SooiUafter dawn the miners’ army had increased to about 6000 men. Against them, but inside the collierv gates, there was a mere handful of police. The opening charges by the younger andi restless, element, which started the whole conflict, was made by crowds of from 200 to 300 of the wildest spirits. They -broke down the fence on the mine property, and. attacked on a front of about 100 yards. The rush down the hill carried the men about 50 yards inside the mine property. Sergeant Thomas, the Horatius, who was charged with the task of holding the gate, had with him. as his immediate first line of “defence,” about 20 or 30 constables. He looked at the huge crowd, whose voices rumbled like thunder. Then holooked at his little band ,of calm and determined men. Behind them was. a line of trucks, and the pit top works were 300 yards back. There lay a property of incalculable wealth that had to .be protected at all costs. And there can be no doubt that the main object of the howling mob was to destroy the mine, so. that it could not .be worked. It had to be remembered, too, that-within the property there were many free labourers whose blood was sought. It was for the police to protect their lives. Thus a dramatic moment had arrived. “LIKE A TUMULTUOUS ARMY.” Following the lead set by-the wilder element the crowd surged across the road like a tumultuous army, and the police were soon confronted by the first line of the angry miners who were, by now, armed with sticks and stones. There was an intense parley which lasted for about two minutes. Superintendent Beattie, who was in charge of the police guard, stepped forward. “Now, men, you can’t come on," he said quietly. “Go back, and do not cause any trouble.”

A rustle of voices that swelled to a roar answered every exhortation by the police to move back over those critical 50 yards of scrub ground. “We want to get'kt those scabs you have there,” they yelled. “No, no. You can’t get in,” was the police comment. Fro-m that very moment it was war.

Stones began to fall like hail. They rebounded from the police helmets. Then the more irresponsible element rushed in in a hand-to-hand struggle.' ' The strength of the defence >as severely tested. Batons met saplings, and the clamour and the cries of pain, and the torrents of abuse turned the little val* - ley into a bedlam. There was no, time to talk or give instructions to meet tl|O emergency. The police are eipphatio that they were .forced to fire with the greatest grimness to . save themselves from being overwhelmed and trampled upon by 'the immense weight of the numbers, they were opposing. As it was many of the police fell, overwhelmed by the pressure that was increasing every minute. FUSILLADE OF STONES. The fusillade of stones swept like a torrent against the police force. The fighting became a bitter struggle. The miners had to go back behind the line, where the fence used to be. The miners continued to hold an immense advantage because of their numbers, and it was only when the mad attack was renewed that the police drew their revolvers —and used them. The police are emphatic that they did not take their /revolvers out until the weapons were necessary to save their own lives. Their position was desperate, and had-to be met with desperate action. ‘ And so it came about that miners were shot, one fatally, and two at least critically wounded. . ' •.

“Who began it," is always a question when evil things have befallen as they did at Rothbury that morning. It has been stated fairly definitely in sonie quarters that'the miners fired the first shots, but .this is srenuously denied by ’ the miners’ officials, and notably by a Labour member of the State Parliament, who has said that he was an eyewitness of the whole bf the three battles. But here is a story by one. of . the pressmen, also an eye-witness—one of the very few reporters who, did . see the fighting—the others were held up by the miners for three hours:—

“The grey ,army was Seen-toppling over the hill and pouring down to the colliery. Police at vantage points gave the warning and fell back. About-: 20 police, under Superintendent Beattie, ranged themselves in light cover, about 50. yards within the fence. The first rush they attempted to stem without recourse to arms. They were forced .back, and, withdrawing their .batons, they clubbed the men. -

“During this affray three' shots were fired by the miners. Ono landed between Sergeant Moore’s feet, the second spattered Sergeant Munday with, dust,.'and the third passed between the two of them. - - ■ '■ ' ,

. f ‘. ‘Out with your guns and into, them,’ said one of the police, and Superintendent Beattie called out, ‘No. Don’t fire.’ Sergeant M-oore had worked his way-up to the fence, driving, the attackers before him, and was attacked from behind, being knocked to the ground with a bludgeon. Half a dozen, with: sticks and stones, commenced to club him unmercifully. , . ' “The sergeant’s cries of pain brought Detective-Sergeant Ryan running to his assistance. Ryan dashed into the melee, but he, too, was knocked down by the men. There were cries of ‘Kick him/ and Superintendent Beattie, seeing the position, gave the order to fire. Previously the police had been instructed to fire only into the air or into the ground, and now the automatics came . out, and along the serried police lines swept the rattle of the volley.” SUDDEN END OF THE RIOT. ' ' .The riot ceased almost as suddenly as it started. By 11.30—six hours after the trouble had commenced —all was quiet once again. The miners had gone home, and strong police reinforcements were on their way to Rothbury from all .

parts of the State. Early in the afternoon there was not a single picket to be seen within miles of the mine. Still thej-e was no. feeling of security. It was regarded as most unlikely that th© miners would drift right* back to their policy of passive resistance at the .first show of force against them. : • -

Rumours of all sorts have been in circulation, a,nd no one knows what is behind the secret -meetings of miners that have been held since the riot. There has been a great struggle between the militant and moderate element, and it. is impossible to say yet which side has won. It is certain, however, that the moderates had a Ijig victory at a combined meeting of •miners that was held at Cessnock on Wednesday night. At that meeting a pro-' posal was made that a special committee should be appointed to collect firearms. A heated discussion followed, the extremists making fiery speeches. In the end the moderates won, and the motion was defeated. It has been stated since, however, that the plan has not been rejected by those who fathered it in the first place.

TENSE FEELING ON THE FIELDS.

Feeling throughout the coalfields ■ is tense. The whole population is on edge, wondering what is going to happen. And there is a ifeeling that should further rioting occur it. will be much more serious than that which took place bn Saturday. . While they were returning from the funeral of the victim of Monday’s fight many of the miners passed Rothbury, where the police were on guard, and they called out, “You murderers,” and hurled various other epithets at them. Then by way of a parting shot they cried, “VVe will return, and we won’t have only our bare fists.”

Police throughout the coal areas have to tolerate the most abusive treatment from the miners, and the chances' are that an ugly situation might develop at any time. There are now more than 300 police in camp at Rothbury. When the first attack was made the police found that they were short of ammunition, but this has been rectified.—Auckland Herald correspondent. One miner, Norman Brown, aged 29, an unmarried man, Was killed. Detec-tive-Sergeant Ryan was critically shot in the forehead, while two police sergeants, one constable' and two rioters were severely wounded. Others received minor injuries.