A SATURDAY NIGHT DISTURBANCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12551, 14 July 1905, Page 7

A SATURDAY NIGHT DISTURBANCE.

DISGRACEFUL STREET SCENES IN

CHRISTCHURCH

POLICE INTERFERED WITH

(Christchurch Press.)

A street disturbance, the like of which, fortunately for the law-abiding character which the citizens of Christchurch have long borne, has been rare, occurred in High Street, near the intersection of Cashel Street, on Saturday night, shortly after eight o'clock. The fracas arose out of the arrest of a young man on a charge of drunkenness, and before order was restored rine others, charged with inciting to resist the police or with assaulting constables in the execution of their duty, wero arrested. Of the ten persons taken into custody, eight had been bailed out. Shortly after eight o'clock, Constable McLellan arrested a young man who was apparently very much under the influence of liquor. The young man v said to be a member of a local football club. He became'very disorderly on being arrested, and is alleged to havo used obscene language. The strugglb which enstfe,d between* him and the constable attracted the attention of the large crowd,in the vicinity. Included in tho crowS there are said to have been a number of footballers and many young men. Instead of attempting to assist ths constable, many of these tried to rescue the prisoner. In the struggle that ensued, Constable McLellan, who had one handcuff on his prisoner, Was thrown down, and it is alleged he was kicked on' the legs and back, and also rolled over and over in tho gutter. So serious was his plight that but for the timely 'arrival of Constables Ward ahd-H^gan, he would in all probability have* x"re6eiv:eH injuries of grave nature. ~ "* ,'.„,.. ~ j -Of. all the civilians who took jiart in tho -scenes, only "one, it appears, rendered any assistance to Constable McLellan in the earlier stages. This man, v/hose name has not been asecertairied, gavd valuable help to Constable McLellan in handcuffing the prisoner, and also endeavoured to keep back the crowd which was attempting to effect a rescue. The gathering by this time had swelled considerably in numbers, and it is estimated that there were about three thousand people shouting and struggling. The task of the three constables was rendered very difficult by them. Many young men, who were to all appearances quite sober, were inciting others to interfere with the constables, and some were actually assaulting them. After considerable" struggling the constables managed to get their prisoner inside the Christchurch Meat Company's shop in Cashel Street, the doors of which v^re closed. Some of the crowd were attempting to break into the shop, and others were assaulting tho constables who had arrived to reinforce tho police. The prisoner was taken along the right-of-way into Hereford Street, where a cab was obtained, in which ho was driven to the lock-up. Meanwhile the tumult outside the shop continued, and the other nine arrests in connection with the affair were made. Tho temper of the crowd was still of a very unreasoning character, and the constables had great difficulty in getting their prisoners to the lockup. On the Hereford Street Bridge about half-past nine o'clock a crowd estimated at over a thousand completely blocked the way, and appeared determined to prevent the progress of the constables. In order to clear a way Sergeant Donovan ordered the police to get out their batons. This had the desired effect, and a way was made without tho police requiring to use force. For hours after the actual occurrence., crowds lingered in the vicinity of the bridge and also near the Meat Company's? "shop. Constable McLellan's clothes were covered in mud when he reached the police station. Owing to the injuries ho received in the scuffle he was unablo to take up duty yesterday morning, but was able to do so last night. When the constables took the first of their prisoners into tho • Meat Company's shop the crowd began pushing towards the entrance, and a number wero forced into the building before tho doors could be clo.sed by the police. Thc&o who wero in were naturally anxicus to get out as quickly as possible in order not to bo mixed up in the afiair in any way. and finding the ordinary exit closed clambered over the meat laden counter and out through the windew. Tho shopmen, annoyed at this proceeding, remonstrated with the intruders, and further altercations and <Jisturbano&3 followed in consequence. An eye witness states that the scene in tho shop was a most disorderly one. Tho constables were struggling with the prisoners,, somo members of the crowd wero assisting prisoners" by interfering with tho police, others, chased by the shopmen, were clambering over the meat in their eagerness to get out, while others again were hurling legs of mutton and slabs of beef at the constables. Eventually the intruders were ejected, and the shop cleared and locked up for tho night. During the height of the riot the crowd in the locality was so dense that many who had become drawn into it found it impossible to get out, and were drawn hither and thither as the main

mass shifted its position. The cabstand, opposite Freeman's, was invaded, and tho cabmen had to drive off to prevent their vehicles being surrounded and locked in.

About twenty polico officers, constables, plain clothes constables, and detectives wero engaged in quelling the disturbance.

A similar disturbance, but on a much smaller scale, occurred on Saturday night, Juno 17th, near the Clock Tower.