PROTECTION FOR THE CITY

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1932, Page 7

PROTECTION FOR THE CITY

ARMED MEN AT MANY POINTS

ARMY AND NAVY GIVE HELP

POLICE COURT PICKETED

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night.

In addition to the protection provided by the Police Force and special constabulary, Army, Navy and Defence Force units were at hand in the city to-day. When the Police Court was opened in the morning detachments -of naval men picketed the approaches and prevented any disorder in the environs of the court, while they continued that duty during the day. Members of the Royal Naval Volunteers’ Reserve .were asked to present themselves for service in the evening and 200 men responded in all, 1 56 of these being men on the non-active list. They were employed in patrol duty, while two sections of naval men, equipped with steel helmets and batons but without rifles.or bayonets, were used in Karangahape Road.

The permanent Defence Force under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. E. Duigan was invested with the responsibility of protecting a number of positions in the city and suburbs. This force, which was equipped with steel helmets, rifles, bayonets and ammunition, was on duty all day and throughout the evening. Members of the permanent staff of the Hobsonville air base were called into the city and were held as a special reserve under the control of defence officers, who were closely co-operating with the police.

MOUNTED MEN FROM WAIKATO

TWO SQUADRONS VOLUNTEER.

RAPID MOVE TO AUCKLAND.

Auckland, Last Night.

Mounted, men from Waikato, comprising two squadrons of the Waikato Mounted Rifles, who were in camp at Cambridge and volunteered for special duty in Auckland ou Thursday night, reached the city this morning and were quartered at the Epsom showgrounds. The men were in unform ou arrival but it was decided that they could not operate as a military force and were therefore changed into civilian garb, and their arms were changed for batons. The decision of the squadrons to offer their services for duty was reached following an appeal made by the Mayor of-Auckland over the air for reinforcements, and at 11 o’clock on Thursday niHit those of the men who were asleep in°the camp were awakened and a, number were recalled from a dance in tho township. A request for railway transport was made to the railway authorities at Frankton, and the necessary arrangements were speedily carried out. A railway officer was despatched to Cambridge, and shortly after aroused railway officers along the line to Cambridge. A special train was then despatched to Cambridge, and shortly after 3 o’clock this morning a start was made to entrain the men and horses, the special getting away for the city by 4 a.m. By 9 30 a.m. the squadrons were Accommodated at the showgrounds in preparation for eventualities. The horses had their shoes removed to make their manoeuvres on the paved roads safer.