PUNJAB AND AMRITZAR

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1920, Page 3

PUNJAB AND AMRITZAR

A NARRATIVE OF EVENTS,

f AUSTRALIAN <£ N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

LONDON, , Jan. 3Q. The India Office issued a white paper' containing details Of Punjab disturbances and Amrifzar massacre of the ljth April. It is a narrative of ovents, not an expression of opinion ,and is published without prejudice to the labour of HunCommittee. The special Trouble at Amritzar was due to its being the distributing centre for piece goods and grain for Northern India, which was much affected by variation in prices, due to speculation. Difficulties, also arose from agitators arousing Islamic feeling and sympathy. Disorders included a brutal , attack upon Miss Sherwood, the sacking of the National Bank and the murders of the manager and assistant-managers; also attacks on two other bunks. Tlie prompt arrival of troops limited - the disorder to the towns. Aeroplanes were also sent off from Lahore and dropped bombs and fired machine guns upon the crowds burning and looting the town. Nine pei'sons were thus killed. The troops fired IGSO rounds at Amrizar on the 13th April. The civil authorities .estimate 290 were killed. i None were children, except a boy ot tpn apd fpur boys under Iq. Many people were whipped for being out of their bouses between eight .o'clock in the evening and five in the morning, but no old or feeble men were flogged: , . The social status of . the offender was tailin' int° consideration. 1 Thip Anglo-Indian magistrate who sentenced members of a marriage party To a (logging for forming an illegal assembly, wa s promptly deprived of his ppwers,