THE ANZACS' RIOT IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2638, 8 December 1915, Page 5

THE ANZACS' RIOT IN LONDON

REFLECTIONS ON THE COLONIAL REPUTED IN PARLIAMENT By IWsfranh—Press Assoelatlon-CODyrliW London, December 6. In the House of Commons, the Par* liamentary Under-Secretary for War (Mr. H. J. Tennant) repudiated a sua- I gestion that soldiers with forged tickets had organised themselves to freak up the recent anti-conscription meeting at the Memorial Hall. He said that the disorder commenced only when the stewards, acting on Mr. Ramsay MaoDonald's instructions, attempted to remove five colonial soldiers who were ill the front seats. Another person, on the platform said: "Let that accursed military element be got rid of before we, start." Similar remarks were made by several stewardesses with Teutonio accents, otherwise there would probably have been no Sympathisers with the cause had admitted that the ■ soldiers' behaviour was restrained and admirable. : Mr. Ponsonby (Liberal) said that the ' whole reply was a tissue of misrepresentations. (Cries of "Order!" and "Shame!") The remark was withdrawn. Mr. Tennant: "That is the report of the inspector who attended tie meeting in plain clothes." Mr. H-amsav Mac Donald said that the reference to himself was without foundation. Re gave no instructions for the Temoval of soldiers. TOn the last day of last month 'an anti-conscription meeting was held in the Memorial Hall. A large force of Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian soldiers and medical_ students formed the bulk of .tho audience. The ajv pearance of Messrs. J. Ramsav MaoDonald, P. Morell. and C. P. Trevelyan, M.P.'s, on the platform was the signal for a concerted rush by the soldiers, who captured tho platform, tors down the flags, smashed the chairs, and displayed tho placard "Ahzaos want victorv!" Thev eiected the anticmißcriptionist sympathisers, and an Australian took the chair, while soldiers delivered impromptu speeches, afterwards resolving in favour of the rejection of all peace terms except those dictated by the Allies. There was pan-° demonium for twentv minutes. Asphyxiating tas from large stink bombs were launched.]