ENGLISH POLICE STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16506, 6 August 1919, Page 3

ENGLISH POLICE STRIKE.

LEAVE STOPPED IN LONDON. LOOTING IN LIVERPOOL. DISGRACEFUL SCENES IN THE STREETS. By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. LONDON, August 4. Liverpool railway men demand that tho National Union support the police strike. The police strike is regarded as a fiasco. Speakers at a meeting at Tower Hill hold out hopes of Labour support for an extensive sympathetic strike. About forty Liverpool shops were damaged, and jewellers’, pawnbrokers’, grocers’, drapers’ and boot simps were looted and fixtures destroyed. Ibo streets were strewn with wreckage. Four tanks were stationed in the streets. Three destroyers also arrived to protect the docks.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Received August 6, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. General Macready has cancelled all police leave. It is believed that some who are absent under the guise of leave are actively encouraging the strike. The cancellation will compel them to demonstrate their real feelings. In Birmingham tho situation is serious. Four hundred out of 1200 police are involved. The organisers declare that tho tramway workers and fire brigade have ponnised support. - Tho looting of Liverpool shops was renewed on Saturday' night anti Sunday, and, despite soldiers being drawn up in the streets, jewellery, groceries, clothing and bootshops again suffered. The looters carried their spoils to their homes in neighbouring streets, and re turned for more. They raided a sugar factory, also beor-bottling_works. Men, women and boys laden with bottles of beer paraded tho streets drinking; others rolled barrels of heer into the road where crowds with glasses, cups, and jugs gathered round dancing and drinking. They ran away when the troops arrived,but returned and chaffed the sold lore. Tho _ looters smashed the windows of a music warehouse, dragged pianos on to the pavement and played for tho dancers. Many looters were arrested.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, SCENES IN LIVERPOOL. SOLDIERS CAMPED IN THE TOWN. (Received August 6, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 1. Insurances against lire loss by social disorders hare been effected at 5s per cent, in Liverpool. Most of the city is now well protected, but the scenes of anarchy' in the centre beggar description. St. George’s Hall and tho square in front of it have been converted into a great laager in which hundreds of stoeliiehnctcd scidiers arc stationed. Debris and loot litters tho ri.rccts. Tne poo-pl-i push handcarts around collecting clothes and boots; children <it or tho footpaths trying on uoots ana ■•onr.eiap tuously throwing away misfits. Baton charges have been tho order of tho day tho police belabouring looters, but unable to stem tho tide. In the earlier melee a volley was fired. Soldiers in a tony caught looters of a wineshop red-handed, arrested them, and were returning with their prisoners when crowds attacked tho lorry. Tho troops fired over too crowds, and one man, who was trying to seine a sokuer’s rifle, was shot in the abdomen. Tho damage caused by- the riots in Birkenhead is estimated at £40,000. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.