BATON CHARGE UPHELD

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 120, 16 May 1932, Page 2

BATON CHARGE UPHELD

— Statement By Minister

ON RECENT EPISODE NO QUARTER FOR LAWLESS (Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, Saturday. In a statement relating to the Cuba street affray, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe reviews at length events preceding the clash between the police and the mob. He goes on to say: “Realising the danger of allowing the crowd to remain on the vacant section longer than could be avoided, the police informed Mr. Bracefield that a few minutes only would be allowed to announce the decision arrived at by the strikers’ delegates. Inspector Lander was informed that all the delegates had not arrived and he was requested to await their arrival. This he agreed to do, as Mr. Bracefield was unable to address the crowd himself. A man named Kelly, a well known malcontent, mounted a chair, when he was warned that he had to confine his remarks solely to the decision arrived at by the delegates and to be as brief as possible. Instead of doing as requested, he launched out on a lengthy explanation of what the various delegates had done, and on referring to a proposal to hold a one day strike he was ordered to desist, but refused. A Volley of Missiles “Hoots and cries from the crowd greeted Inspector Lander as he went forward to compel Kelly to stop speaking. “Then followed a volley of bricks, stones, pieces of concrete, bottles and pieces of iron hurled at a small force of 20 police in Inspector Lander’s immediate vicinity. Faced with the alternative of seeing his small force beaten down, the inspector ordered his men to disperse the menacing mob.

Six mounted men on the reserve further up the section came to the foot constables’ assistance and in a few minutes the mob had bolted. The police found a large supply of empty bottles from which

they had been bombarded. “In all ten persons received temporary treatment at the hospital. A number of police were struck by missiles, but were not so injured that they could not continue on duty.

No Other Course Open

“It is perfectly clear, not only from official reports submitted to me by the Commissioner of Police, but from signed statements from neutral citizens of integrity and standing, that the police exercised very commendable restraint and tact and made no move in force until driven in self-defence to charge the mob, whose overwhelming numbers,’ open hostility and aggressive violence left no other course open. “In view of exhibitions of mob violence in other centres, the disgraceful happenings of Tuesday night in this city and information received by the authorities of the menacing intentions of at least a section of the crowd to renew acts of violence as night fell, the action of the police in breaking up the hostile crowd in Cuba street before its evil design could be carried out was entirely justified; indeed, they would have failed in their duty had they not done so. Repression of Lawlessness “The Government is determined that the evil and subversive elements in the city will meet with no quarter, but that all lawlessness will be sternly repressed. It would be intolerable if the safety of our citizens and thousands of pounds worth of valuable property were to be wantonly imperilled. Mob violence can but react on those associated with it. “The genuine workers who are unfortunately numbered amongst those of our fellow citizens now unemployed should, in their owm defence and for th eh' own best interests, drive out from their midst the evil elements which are using them as tools and behind whom they endeavour to advance their own anti-social wrecking activities.”