MOB OUT OF HAND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2463, 17 May 1915, Page 7

MOB OUT OF HAND

STONE THROWING AND LOOTING

RIOTOUS SCENES AT

WANGANUI

WOMEN AND CHILDREN TAKE PART (By Toleirapb.—Press Association.) Wanganui, May 15. Riotous scenes were witnessed in tho streets last night, the storm centre being a pork butcher's shop, occupied by a naturalised German, G. Heinold. Early in the evening a crowd gathered outside the premises, which, in consequence of persistent rumours, were closed, and the lights extinguished. The police were present in force. Stone-Throwing Begins. Shortly after eight o'clock stones were thrown through the window, and an excited mob surged round when the police tried to effect an arrest. By ten o'efock a crowd of several thousands was in the vicinity, and feeling was running high. A series of ugly rushes were overpowered by the police, but the plate-glass windows were smashed by a fusillade of stones. Mayor Howled Down. The Mayor tried to address the crowd, but was howled down. During the riot plate-glass windows in the Melbourne Co.'s drapery business adjoining were also smashed. By 11 o'clock Heinold's windows in both the upstairs portion and the shop had been completely wrecked.

The culminating scene was witnessed when a Territorial in 'uniform climbed on to the verandah above the street arid hoisted the Union Jack, amidst great excitement, the crowd singing the National Anthem and patriotic songs. Unruly Element In Command. At this stage the unruly element in the crowd commenced to shout: "What about others." A wild rush started for Hallenstein BrOs.' three-storied building, at the corner of tho Avenue and Ridgw.iy Street, a block away, where all the windows were smashed.

During the stone-throwing the Mayor, who was bleeding from a stone wound in the face, again addressed tho crowd and itrged them not to disgrace tbe town and to be British.

The rioting continued until midnight, when the stone-throwing gradually ceased. Women and Boys In the Crowd. A feature of the disturbance was the number of women and boys among the crowd. One youth was seen to de-thi-ofr a full-sized brick at Hallenstein's windows, and all the plateglass wndows in these premises vere subsequently smashed, and the crowd proceeded along the street to the Bristol Piano Cohipany, where two windows were broken.

At the height of the trouble the feeling was intense, and there were threats to wreck the premises of quite a number of shopkeepers. The police handled the situation with tact, but were powerless to prevent the damage done. Heinold's shop was looted, not an article remaining—hams, sausages, and other goods were stolen. One man was arrested for stealing from Hallenstein's',