QUIET AT DUNEDIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 90, 16 April 1932, Page 8

QUIET AT DUNEDIN

THE RELIEF WORK STRIKE BALLOT REVERSES DECISION I ( Per Press Association. | DUNEDIN, April 15. Nothing occurred in Dunedin to-day to indicate that any desire remained among the section of the unemployed to continue tho disturbances of the past week. The situation was perfectly quiet and a very small number of unemployed who gathered in front of the Town. Hall in the morning were dispersed after only a short wait. After the relief works had been declared “black” as a sequel to the disturbance at the Hospital Board’s office ou Monday night, a number of men approached the Mayor (Mr. Black) and expressed tho opinion that if a ballot were taken the great majority of the men would express a willingness to continue working. The Mayor agreed to take a ballot and. to-day voting papers were handed to each of the 866 men engaged during the day on works under the No. 5 scheme. No fewer than 703 of the men replied “Yes,” and only 90 answered “No.” A total uf 73 elected to express no opinion. Tho overwhelming majority in favour of work being continued, indicated that the general feeling coincided with that of ono man who wrote on the back of his paper. “Work? Yes. And as much more of it- as I can get a vote for. —‘Mum.’ ” DUNEDIN DISTURBANCE ANOTHER RIOTER CHARGED I Per Press Association, j DUNEDJN, April 15. Arthur Waters, aged 28, a New Zealander, charged with inciting lawlessness, was remanded in custody till next Wednesday. ! The police. In opposing bail, said that accused was a man of riotous conduct and took part in the unemployed demonstration on April 11. i CARRIED A BLUDGEON. I MAN SENT TO GAOL. I Per Press Association, i DUNEDIN, April 15. Walter Finlay Dore was charged, with being a rogue and a vagabond in thak he was found armed with a bludgeon with felonious intent. The police said that accused was taking part in some unemployed processions and detectives noticed something protruding under his coat. On being intercepted he was found with « stoutwooden stick in his possession. There had been considerable agitation among those inciting the unemployed to resist police action. Evidently that was the reason why Dore carried the stick, which was rather a formidable baton. Ho did not use the stick, but some cf the unemployed were known to be carrying weapons to resist arrest. 'l'he magistrate imposed a month’s imprisonment. i GREAT DEVASTATION SHOCK TOR AUCKLANDERS. RETAILERS’ SEVERE LOSSES. I Per Pre.°B Association. 1 AUCKLAND, April 15. Aucklanders on coming to Queen Street this morning beheld a scene unparellclcd in the history of the city. Thousands of people comfortable in their homes last night knew nothing of the, rio tin Queen Street, and on hearing or reading of it this morning were simply staggered. There had been rumours of “trouble,” but there was nothing definite, and when the big unemployed procession on Wednesday proved orderly and almost entirely goodhumoured. the ordinary citizen probably felt satisfied that if anything untoward occurred it w r ould not be serious, and would be easily controlled. This morning they have the evidence of their eyes that the criminal and larrikin elements of the population held sway in Queen Street, last night. In Queen Street alone 210 broken windows were counted, and those in the side streets probably bring the total to 250. At the time of writing there is no possibility of assessing the value of the looted property. Sonic shopkeepers never heard till too late of what was happening to their premises, and it is likely to take most of them many hours to ascertain what they have lost. No Food Riot. The - evidence of the looted shops seems to show clearly that this was no food riot. As far as noticed it was not the provision shop that was looted. The looters instead rifled jewellers, tobacconists. clothiers and confectioners. Many of the other shops had the windows broken, but little was stolen, though this in some cases was due to the hole iu the glass not being big enough. Another thing certain is that the police forces were woefully inadequate 1 to deal with such a situation. While nearly all of the available police were 1 .struggling to control the mass of unemployed' outside the Town Hall, criminals and larrikins on the fringe broke ! away, swept down Queen Street, and there was nothing to stop them. Many f of the larrikins were youths and girls. 1 The degree to which the riot was pre- • meditated is uncertain. Many of the rioters carried stones which they obtained close to the Town Hall. Others wore seen kicking in windows. > This morning extensive preparations ■ were launched to ensure that any fur ' ther rioting would be instantly con- ' trolled. Queen Street was thronged all the morning with citizens, who wandered • up and down crunching broken glass underfoot. Their expression was one of incredulity and dismay. Over 200 Injured. Over 2UO were injured last night, of whom eight are in hospital. These had all regained consciousness. In addition to the six already telegraphed, Walter Jones, aged 44, is suffering from concussion Hut not serious; Hugh Roberts, aged 49/ has head injuries which are not serious. Three constables, O’Donnell, Yoeward and Brucher, were injured in addition to those already named. Tnr three hours there was a stream

of people in the main lobby of the Auckland Hospital, and about 50 injured wero treated. In. the City the St. John Ambulance dressed the wounds of 150 people in wonderfully quick time. There were also two casualty stations at the Town Hall, and ambulance men went down Queen Street and dressed minor injuries by the light of the street lamps. One clothier estimates his loss at £lOOO, including overcoats worth £3OO. He says that if his friends had not rallied to help him the looters would have cleaned out the shop. The manager of the tramways said to-day that the unemployed last night deliberately held up the trams in Queen Street for three hours. They would not budge from the tram tracks.