Police in a Clash

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 117, 12 May 1932, Page 3

Police in a Clash

WITH WELLINGTON CROWD At Open-Air Assemblage DISPERSED TN BATON CHARGE attempt by striking relief workers and unemployed to hold a mass meeting on a vacant section in Upper Cuba Street this afternoon precipitated a brief but ugly clash with the police. Within the space of two minutes a threatening crowd of 2000 was routed and scattered, mounted and foot constables giving no quarter in a lightning baton charge.

The strikers and unemployed were embroiled in a melee by the militant leaders who defied the ban on outdoor assemblies and ignored the appeals of the Trades’ Hall Officials. Throughout the morning and early afternoon an atmosphere of tension existed in Vivian Street area, particularly in the vicinity of the Trades’ Hall where meeting after meeting was held by the strikers’ delegates.

At 3.30 pan. an attempt was made to hold a full meeting of strikers in the Trades’ Hall dance ha 11.,. In a few minutes the hall stairways and corridors on every floor were jammed with humanity, and from those who had no hope of admittance to the meeting came the cry, “To the vacant section in Upper Cuba street!”

Instruction Acted Upon

The instruction was repeated by the leaders and acted upon excitedly. Hundreds poured out of the building and flocked along Vivian Street, where they were reinforced by hundreds more. No formation was suggested or attempted; the crowd blocking the entire thoroughfare as it proceeded to Upper Cuba Street. A strong force of police under Inspector J. Lander accompanied the would-be demonstrators, and special police with steel hats were drawn up in double ranks at the intersection of Vivian and Cuba streets, but no attempt was made at this juncture to disperse the crowd or to interfere with its movements. When the vacant section was reached the crowd, which by that time was about 2000 strong, completely filled it. The overflow and curious onlookers lined the fences on three sides of the area and hundreds more curiosity seekers blocked the Cuba street footpaths. Plenty Of Missiles Kandy If any thought of riot ns behaviour were in the minds of the strikers and unemployed when they planned the assembly, they could not have chosen a city area more suited to their purpose. The ground on which they stood was littered with stones and bricks, pieces of timber lay j about and several of the fences on three sides of the section were of palings and boards. In the centre of the section is a hollow, and the ground slopes upward to the rear where a high fence of corrugated iron rises out of long grass. Presence of Police. The leaders of the men stood on boxes on this slope and foot police mingled with the crowd. Although a strong group, headed by Inspector Lander, was stationed near the speakers, six mounted police, led by Sergeant Sparks, were drawn up on the far side of the hollow clear of the thickest part of the crowd. The total uniformed police numbered about 50. In the assembly were a number of women and a sprinkling of children. Small boys and girls were running about, clambering on fences, whistling shrilly and laughing. For the time being the crowd was quiet and orderly enough, the principal emotion appearing to be that of curiosity as to what had taken place at the Trades’ Hall ea’lier in the day. If missiles were picked up in readiness, the action was unobtrusive and shared by the num 3 noisy crowd of young men in the north-eastern corner of the section. The first speaker was Mr R. H. Bracefield who announced that the activities of the delegates would be reviewed by Mr Kelly, one of the leaders prominent in the. previous day’s demonstration at Parliament Buildings. Conference Arranged Mr Kelly explained that the relief workers’ delegates had arranged a conference with the Alliance of Labour and Trades and Labour Council representatives. The meeting, he said, had adjourned from the Trades’

Hall in order that the strikers couh be informed as to the. result of th conference. “Get On With it!” “Get on with it!” called Inspector Lander who had given permission for the making of a very brief statement. A roar of hooting rose, and instantly the hitherto passive crowd became vociferously hostile. The atmosphere was inen- . acing, imbued with a spirit, of i mob anger. The horses of the ; mounted men moved restively, but the police remained still watching their chief. ) “When we met the union dele- [ gates,” continued Mi'. Kelly, “We asked them to declare a one-day strike either to-morrow or as soon as possible.” “That’s enough,” called Inspector Lander. Come down!” The roar of hooting lose louder than ever. Mr. Kelly stood his ground, but. was dragged down by constables. Then from a corner of the section missiles were thrown and like a flash bedlam was let loose. “Get Into Them!” “Get into them,” shouted the I inspector. The main body of foot police with batons drawn, charged toward the corner, into the thick of the crowd, laying about them with batons amid the screams of women and the shouting of startled men. The mounted police wheeled their horses. Rearing and plunging horsemen rode forward toward another section of the crowd. The panic-stricken crowd stampeded, struggling to escape the batons Of the policemen in the rear of the shouting throng. Several hundred, hemmed in at the head of the section, fought and dived into the confused mass as blow after blow from the attackers brought their fellows down with cracked heads. A wooden fence collapsed under the sudden pressure. Those who had been perched on it fell backwards and were trampled under the feet of the mob as it poured into the backyard of a small house. Half a dozen constables still striking out jumped over the ruins of the fence and the. prone figures and a battle royal ensued in the vegetable garden while a distracted housewife stood screaming on her doorstep. Police Charge Again Turning, the. advance force of the police charged back, his time using their hands as well as their batons, seizing men who had seized stones and brick and hurling them to the ground. The strikers in the. garden by this time had found a way out. A Home Trampled Upon Another board fence at the side of the house was broken down bodily and hundreds streamed through the garden and out into the streets. The flood of men flattened and smashed every obstacle except an iron bedstead lying at the rear of a little home trampled and

desolate nearer the front of the section. A Wild Stampede The melee for a few moments took an even more desperate turn. Another wooden fence went down and dozens invaded the yard, but the path followed by the charging police took them clear of that point, and the pressure relaxed, preventing further damage. Behind the next house, however, was a rusty fence of corrugated iron, on which the men scrambled and kicked as others strove to escape over their bodies. A number were badly scratched and cut about the hands by the jagged iron, and dozens of suits were torn. On the other side of the section the rabble was fleeing from the mounted men who cantered here and there assisting the foot police. Missiles Wide of Mark Stones and half bricks flew, but the great majority were far too intent upon escape to think of turning and showing fight. The rout was as complete as it was swift, and the police used no half measures. The women were swept toward the street, the majority, fortunately enough, being clear of the main police charge. Screaming children fled with the rest, but in the chaos it was impossible for anyone to discriminate, and several were knocked down by running men. Neighbouring small garden plots were trampled and many of the crowd took shelter in the houses where minor injuries were attended to. A nearby chemist also ■was occupied for some time treating cuts and bruised scalps. DETAILS OF INJURED _ i ONE SERIOUS CASE (Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. As a result of the disturbance this afternoon, a number of persons were treated by the Free Ambulance and hospital for minor casualties. Only one man received severe enough injury to warrant his being detained in hospital, that being a broken leg sustained when he fell off a fence. Ascertainable injuries are as follow:— Francis Walker, labourer, C/o City Mission; broken leg, in hospital. The following were treated at the hospital and discharged: — D. Donald, labourer, 97 Rintoul street; head injuries. W. Bremnor, labourer, 12 Findlay Terrace; head injuries. J. Calver, labourer, 27 Braithwaite Street; head injuries. H. Mather, labourer, 39 Nairn Street; head injuries. The following were treated by the Free Ambulance: — J. Turner, seaman, 26 Lorne s'reef; contused wound to the scalp. H. Leach, labourer, C/o. King’s hotel; abrasions to legs. H. Dowler, .seaman, 174 Sydney street; cuts on hand. i