REVOLVERS AT RUNANGA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 175, 13 April 1918, Page 6

REVOLVERS AT RUNANGA

MINISTER ASKED TO INTERVENE w s | r . alle6 of affairs at Runanea f2«f ;!!? * :as TO 11 "' >V iv deputation ffif w smi A °f Justice (the Eon. 1 M.Wiliord)vesterdav morning. I lie deputation, which was headed by Mr, J. 0 Brien. was introduced by Air. A. Walker. M.P. . Mr. O'Brien said that he had been delegated by a public meeting held in ■ ivunanga to demand an innuirv into the of . a fire, that had. occurred at Kunansra recently. on the grounds that ialse insinuations had been 6Dread broadcast regarding certain citizens of the town. He read a resolution nassed by, the meeting containing the following sentences ~"This meeting has reason to believo 'that a deep-laid eonspiracv has been iiw sidiously set on foot to trv to couple the name of Labour with the nolicv of burning and'destruction, ami in the interests of social Mace and justice we demand an open inqmrv. so that the blame, if anr. can be attached to the guiltv Derson or persons. i said that a house owned bv a Mrs. Iv.vie and occupied hv her two sons had been destroyed bv.fire, and it was - alleged that there was evidence of incendiarism. This hanuened at' the time when tho miners w'er'o'on strike owing to the rc-fusal of twentv members of tlie union to pay the Australian strike i«vv. A report had been snread abroad that tho fire had been the worik ot' members of the I.WAV. organisation, and an attempt had been made to connect the miners' union witli tlie matter. Tho twenty men who had refused to pay the strike levy had then.made representations to the authorities that they were in danger, and they had. been, granted permission by the police to carry revolvers for their protection. ; The representative of tho strikers added that the twenty men had since carried revolvers, and there was hot feeling on tlie subject in the Eunanga district. "I myself had a very nasty experience in a train with one of the men who _ carried a revolver," siiid Mr. O'Brien. "As a . result of-the matter being reported to'tho police the revolver was takon away from the.man, and the police are taking action against him." The_ citizens of Eunanga' wanted the Minister to order the withdrawal,of the police permission to these, twenty inen to carry revolvers, and they wanted also a full inquiry regarding tho origin. of the fire. The houso was burned, down oil Sunday night last while unoccupied, and it was Btatcd tlutt a smell of kerosene had been noticed by. the man who discovered tho outbreak. .

' The Minister said that he had received no information from his officers on tho points mentioned. He would have careful inquiries made ' regarding the issue of permits to carry revolvers to the men. who had claimed that their property was in danger. He could hot say whether an inquiry would bo held concerning the fire until he had received a report from his officers.