AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1922, Page 3

AMERICAN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION TERRIBLE RIOTS. IN MEXICAN CAPITAL.

NEW YORK, Dee. 1. The New York “Times’s”—Mexico City correspondent states—“A protracted drought, which has universally affected all North America, has had an outcome in a terrile tragedy here today. This city of nearly one million jiliiiahilants through lack of water last week, Ims suffered the tortures of the damned. Working men to-day marched 111 rough the main street to the City Hall shouting: “Give us water!” They found the building strongly guarded by the police. The crowd surged towards the building. The police then fired on’ them, ami guards on the roof and in a side street poured a heavy fusilade into the populace. The crowd then returned the fire.” The correspondent saw twelve dead civilians. The leaders were then captured. Several policemen marched them to the Mexican capital, where the occurrence was explained to the legislative. Business throughout the city has ceased. To-night the merchants are covering their shop windows with heavy steel shutters in expectation of further trouble. * Later: —Mexico City is now a vast turmoil, with rioting in many quarters. Fifty have already been killed, and two hundred wounded. The casualties are growing every hour. The police are powerless. The Federal Govern- ; ordered out troops, and martial law, was declared. The drought, which left the ■ city water supply very low, also caused ■ a derangement id the city water plant i with the result that it (eased to tunc- ; tion. The Council Aldermen took no; steps to repair the plant, and petitions pointing out the inhabitants were suffering had little effect upon the conn- . eillors, who engaged in a long wrangle, over unimportant matters. '