POLICE CRITICISED

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 118, 13 May 1932, Page 3

POLICE CRITICISED

“Charge Unprovoked”

HOSTILITY TO AIR A. J. COOK WHO IS COUNTED OUT WELLINGTON, Thursday. ■ Strengthened by some hundreds of waterside workers who had come up from the wharves after answering the call at 8 a.m., a mass meeting of relief workers was held at the Trades’ Hall this morning. It was attended by about 1400 or more, people. It was organised by the central strike committee, and was at times of a lively and noisy nature, particularly When expressing its unanimous indignation at the tactics of the police on the previous afternoon. The meeting was not open to the press. The demands of the committee were placed before the meeting and adopted unanimously as an expression of the general demands of the relief workers on strike.

Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., supported these demands, and said they should have the backing of the general public. Air. Fraser left before the meeting was over in order to arrange with the Minister of Employment for a deputation to meet him this evening.

Much of the meeting' was devoted to a criticism of the police, arising’ out of the police action the prevous afternoon when the clash and fracas occurred in Upper Cuba street. Those who were present vigorously asserted that the police had made their charge upon the crowd in an unprovoked manner. They denied altogether the reports which stated that the stone throwing had come first.

A Strong View

The meeting took such a strong view of this particular question that it passed a resolution demanding that an inquiry should be held into the Cuba Street occurrence. Witnesses were apparently eagei* to swear affidavits in support. Air. Fraser spoke on this also, and is understood to have given an undertaking to do what he could in the way of placing the matter before the Department of Justice.

Mr. A. J. Cook, of the organised Labour section, had an exciting time as a result of a statement made by him and published this morning. What annoyed the meeting particularly was Air. Cook’s statement that Messrs Kelly and Sandford had ignored the advice of the organised Labour officials and called a meeting at the vacant section in Cuba Street where the trouble occurred. Air. Cook was called upon to apologise to Messrs. Kelly and Sandford, but he refused to do so and there was a terrific outburst of hooting mixed with abuse.

According to information given at to-day’s meeting, Messrs. Kelly and Sandford, had in fact been conferring with the organised Labour officials at the time when the executive of the central strike organisation made its decision to hold the meeting at the vacant section. Extreme Hostility Tn face of extreme hostility Air. Cook stood by his statement, and before leaving the platform he again offered the help of the Alliance of Labour. While he was making his way out of the hall he was subjected to plenty of abuse and was lustily counted out.

The meeting supported a vote of confidence in Messrs. Sandford and Kelly, the second of whom urged an extension of the strike to one of national proportions. A vote of confidence was carried also in the officials and delegates of the relief workers’ central strike committee.

The meeting carried also a resolution entirely dissociating themselves from any violence, window smashing or damage done in the city. A motion asking for the abolition of the wages tax was turned down. The meeting adjourned on the understanding that a deputation would meet Mr. Coates this evening and report to a further meeting at 10 a.m. to-morrow.