TWO ARRESTED

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21035, 10 February 1940, Page 8

TWO ARRESTED

PACIFIST SPEAKER EXCITEMENT IN STREET CROWD OF 5000 ASSEMBLES (Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Saturday The Rev. Ormond Burton and another man who attempted to speak at a meeting of pacifists and Communists, and refused to desist when ordered to do so by the police, were arrested last night. They will be charged tomorrow with obstructing the police. A crowd of 5000 watched the arrests.

It was well known in Wellington that the pacifists intended holding a meeting in the City Council reserve at the corner of Dixon and Manners Streets, and by 7.30 p.m. hundreds of people had assembled in expectation of some excitement.- Every available vantage point was lined, and while waiting for the speakers to arrive sections of the crowd indulged in community singing, which was led by a number of soldiers. In the me§ntime 30 police constables under Inspector Sweeney, and reinforced by detectives in plain clothes, had mingled with the crowd.

Crowd Remains Orderly Shortly after his arrival on the scene Mr Burton was heard to remark that if he were not allowed to speak the meeting would proceed at another point as arranged. By this time there was a dense crowd milling around the central figures. When he was asked by the police to desist from speaking because of the possibility of a disturbance being caused, Mr Burton refused to stop. He went little further than a few words beyond “ladies and gentlemen” when lie was taken in charge. The police forced their way through the crowd, which was now surging in Manners Street, and hurried Mr Burton down a side lane to the Taranaki Street police station. By this time the excitement and suspense of the crowd had reached a high level, but in spite of its large numbers it was very orderly. After the arrest of Mr Burton another man attempted to speak, and he was also arrested. A third man also began to speak, but stopped when requested to do so. He was escorted through the crowd by the police. Mayor Attempts To Speak Apart from a few incipient fights, which did not develop into anything serious, and a few arguments between sections of the crowd, nothing further occurred, but for another hour hundreds of people waited expectantly. When it was realised that the night’s excitement was over they gradually dispersed. At one stage the Mayor of Wellington, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, who earlier in the week declared that pacifists would not be allowed to speak in the Manners Street reserve, made his appearance, and was greeted with booing and cheers. The Mayor spoke to the crowd, but his words were inaudible because of the noise. Traffic in Manners Street had difficulty in making its way through the crowds and a number of people fainted and required medical attention. Shrubs in the reserve area were trampled and damaged and one seat was wrecked. A small section of the crowd, mostly youths, sang the “Red Flag,” and others countered with the National Anthem.