A WILD SCENE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 11 May 1932, Page 5

A WILD SCENE

Orgy of Destruction SHOP WINDOWS SMASHED LAWLESSNESS IN WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. An orgy of destruction in Lambton 'Quay and Willis Street was tlie outcome of a relief workers’ strike demonstration at Parliament Buildings late tliis afternoon. Breaking away from a Luge crowd assembled at tire gates, in front of the War Memorial, a small PHjMof about 50 hoodlums had the at their mercy for a brief period. In the gathering darkness they swept down the Quay and into Willis Street, smashing wantonly as they ran. Plate glass windows and shop fronts "from Bowen Street to Upper Willis Street and along Manners Street were attacked with missiles, sticks, and the boots of the vandals. The damage, which amounts to approximately £3OOO, was all done within the space of baiely twenty minutes. Between 140 and 150 windows were smashed. A strong force of police concentrated at Parliament Buildings was unable to reach or outflank the perpetrators until scattered groups reached Manners Street and as far down as Guoa Stieet, where a number of arrests were made. There was little looting, and the people in the streets were mostly amazed witnesses of the destruction. It was all the more senseless because it followed almost immediately upon an announcement by the leaders of the demonstration that the claims of the rewere to receive special con- . sideration. Though they were momentarily caught off guard, the police and temporary police organisation had control of tho situation within a short space of time. The first crash of breaking glass came a minute or two before 6 p.m. By 6.40 o ’clock the city streets were guarded at every important point and patrolled by large detachments of police and specials. Hundreds of special police in military formation appeared as if from nowhere, and uniformed men, mounted, and on foot, had begun an intensive drive to clear and quieten every thoroughfare. This was carried out coolly and effectively. This evening’s outbreak was far from being a riot. The vast majority of the demonstrating relief workers kept the peace, and although the temper of the mob at Parliament Buildings became a matter for serious anxiety, as the afternoon wore on, violence ivas averted. It was not until the mass of the demonstrators began to stream. .away from the gates that a very small section broke o§, bent on window smashing. Lambton Quay was swept as though by a sudden -.jMmado which disappeared as it had come. Hundreds of striking relief workers tramped quietly along the-glass-strewn pavements . in the wake of the vandals and the pursuing police. They were sobered and concerned by the evidence of destruction let loose as the result of the way they had chosen to air their grievances. Early in the afternoon’ an. assembly of nearly 3000 at-the Basin Reserve were informed by their leaders that the relief workers’ strike had been extended to practically every city and suburban job. Made bold by their numbers, tiie crowd decided to march to Parliament House, and a procession was formed up. As the demonstrators proceeded up Cambridge Terrace they were joined by unemployed onlookers and 500 relief rvorkers from Miramar, who had marched in from their jobs in that aiTa. The procession reached Parliament House about 3500 strong, and a, deputation was admitted at 3.30 p.m. to interview the Minister of Employment (the RtMjHon. J. G. Coates). It fwPciot until 5.10 p.m. that the members of the deputation returned to the waiting crowd and announced that a policy statement from the Minister would bo published in the- morning. The strikers were asked to meet at the Basin Reserve at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning and discuss their position in the light of the move made by Mr Coates. The crowd roared its disapproval of the delay, and there was a clamour for direct action, but the leaders managed to calm the majority, and the impromptu meeting was declared closed. It w r as then that a small minority broke away and ran amok, and tho purposeless lunatic window-smash-ing began. —(P.A.) LITTLE PILLAGING. ■J? WELLINGTON, Tuesday. -From seven o’clock onwards, the were thronged by curious crowds, who viewed tho long tiail of damage. The condition of affairs in Lambton Quay, Willis Street and Manners Street gave conclusive evidence of the speed with which the raid was carried out. No distinction had been made aj&no class of sllo P ha<i esca P ecl ; Even of empty shops had been bombarded. Apparently a single missile served for each attempt, and if it failed the next shop front received attention. Usually the broken glass went into the shop with the missile, but in many cases the windows were broken and ruined without displacement of the glass. Many windows bore evidence of having been struck by soft wet objects, probably fruit seized from Hindus’ barrows, which failed to penetrate. The shopkeepers were busy making their premises secure for the night and withdrawing their window displays. There was little evidence of pillaging. Such thefts as were committed must have been of the smash-and-grab type. The streets were patrolled during the night by tegular police and specials, who closed some of the principal pro-menadcs.-^JP.A.) —- Arrests male. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. No damage was done in lower Man-

ners Street, Courtenay Place, or in Cuba Street. Many shopkeepers, anticipating trouble, had removed their wares from their windows.

The appearance of squads of special constables met with a mixed reception. The onlookers took sides, calling out “Scabs!” and booing, while others maintained an air of quiet approval. Loitering was not allowed, and police constables patrolling the areas kept the public on the move. When a squad of mounted police passed up Cuba Street at about 6.30 p.m. there were some hoots from groups of roving youths who appeared to be on a tour of inspection. A would-be stone-thrower at the corner of Cuba and Vivian Streets made the mistake of trying to do a little damage within tho sight of a police, sergeant. This attempt was short-lived, and a quick arrest resulted in his being sent to the police station in a taxi. v The attempt of three demonstrators to smash a window in Martin’s Shoe Store, at the corner of Willis and Manners Streets, was frustrated by some policemen, who quickly overpowered them and without ceremony bundled them into the rear of a private car, which was parked nearby. If the window smashers got a shock it was nothing compared with that which the driver of the car and his two women passengers received. They were interestedly watching the march past of special constables, and the next thing they knew was that the men had been (flung on to tho back seat of the car, and a policeman was parked on each running board. The 1 driver soon realised What had happened, and promptly headed for the nearest police station. —(P.A.) VIOLENCE CONDEMNED.

WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

The Relief Workers’ Strike Committee met immediately after tho windowsmashing had ceased and were addressed by Messrs P. Fraser, M.P., and A. Parlane, of the Drivers’ Union, who endorsed the action taken by the Strike Committee up to that evening, but discountenanced all acts of violence. They approved the manner in which the demonstration to Parliament Buildings had been organised, and the conduct until its dispersal and the speakers retired. A relief finance committee of seven members was formed, with power to act, and a trade union committee of three were elected. All relief works in Wellington have been declared black. Only the strike committee is to take any steps towards a settlement. A mass meeting of relief workers is called for to-morrow morning.—(P.A.) SPECIALS CALLED OUT. WELLINGTON, This Day. Sixty police, under Inspectors Lander, and Lopdell, were at Parliament Buildings when tho demonstration arrived there. An urgent call went out at fouro’clock for all specials, and within half an hour the whole available number, a very large force, were assembled at the Central Police Station and the Taranaki Street Station. Later on those at the Taranaki Street Station were transferred to the Central Station, but the specials were not called upon until the police had driven back the crowd to Whitcombe and Tombs’, in Lambton Quay. —(P.A.) SURVEY OF THE DAMAGE. • WELLINGTON, This Day. The windows smashed in Lambton Quay and Willis Street yesterday numbered 169 and the loss is estimated at approximately £2OOO. The heaviest losers were Kirkealdie and Stains, eleven out of 24 large windows facing Lambton Quay being broken. The damage is estimated ..at £3OO, and is covered by a special riot insurance policy. Five of these windows had only small holes caused by stones. Among the missiles picked up were a pram wheel, a motor radiator cap, a garbage tin lid, an iron bolt and a spanner. The windows were cleared of stock, but are being re-dressed today. The D.I.C. lost four windows out of IS. The secretary of this company went out into tho street to remonstrate with the smashers, but was set upon, by a woman with a stick and a mob of angry men. By the time he fought his wav back into the building he had received cuts and bruises. Neither ILm lost goods. The Wairarapa Farmers’ Co-op. Association lost four large windows. The damage is estimated at £7O, but is covered by insurance. The main losers so far as looting is concerned appear to be Armits, Ltd., tobacconists, in the Quay, .the mob helping itself to tobacco, pipes and other goods on display. The loss is not estimated but the firm carried a special insurance. In Manners (Street nineteen windows were broken, including four in Sclmei-dc-man’s shop. James Smith (drapei) lost one window. The firms that suffered in all three streets have boarded up their windows, but some have merely patched thein where the glass has not completely gone. The nature of the damage bears witness all through of the haste with which it was committed. — (P.A.) TWENTY-THREE ARRESTS. WELLINGTON, This Day. Tho arrests numbered 23 and these men appeared in the S.M. Court this morning on various charges of inciting lawlessness, and being rogues and vagabonds in that they were found armed with offensive weapons with felonious intent, some with having used indecent language, and some with theft and also assaulting the police in the execution of their duty and obstructing the police in tho execution of their duty. On the application of Inspector Lopdell, who said that other charges would probably be made, all the accused were remanded by Mr Page, S.M., till Friday. Bail was : fixed at £2OO for each accused.—(P.A.) ' *