ARREST LEADS TO NOISY INCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19267, 2 January 1931, Page 7

ARREST LEADS TO NOISY INCIDENT.

NEW YEAR’S EVE CROWD JOINS IN STAMPEDE.

The stampede-like rush of three-quar-ters of the dense crowd in Cathedral Square down Worcester Street and along Oxford Terrace to Hereford Street and the Police Station was one New Year's Eve incident. The police had occasion to make an arrest and a group of young hoodlums jeered at the officers and followed them and their capture to the station. This move soon attracted others, who wanted to see what it was all about, and in a moment everyone in the Square sqemed to become infected with curiosity and joined in a rapidly-mov-ing procession down Worcester Street. When the station was reached the hoodlum element counted the police out and followed with a chorus of “ boos." Most of the people were merely onlookers, and the aggressive attitude of a small section received no support. Police stationed themselves in the doorways of the station and kept an eye on the crowd. For a lew minutes the main entrance was subjected to a bombardment of fizzing “ double-banger ” crackers, and a cheer was given when one of these burst with a loud report fairly in the doorway. A few minutes later the crowd returned to the Square to be on the scene when midnight struck. When the stampede first began most of those who joined in did not know what was afoot, and several rumours spread through the crowd. The most persistent was that someone was being “ ducked ” in the Avon.