THE HOOD RUSHED.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1924, Page 4

THE HOOD RUSHED.

EXCITING SCENES AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, May 12. Remarkable scenes were witnessed on Prince’s Wharf yesterday owing to the impatience of the crowd anxious to be admitted to the first public view of the Hood. A stout timlsjr barrier was almost carried away by the press of people, which finally forced open the gates. Further serious crowding occurred at the ship’s gangway. The gates were finally held by mounted police, hastily, summoned, while a score of constables reduced pressure at the gangway. Casualties during the height of the confusion were many, hut few were serious. Many women fainted and others, with children, were crushed.

Members of the St. John Ambulance were kept busy for three hours in giving first aid. Nine cases were serious enough to necessitate removal to the ambulance depot on the wharf There were two eases of violent hysteria, one being removed to the hospital. Mrs King, believed to be a visitor from Taranaki, collapsed in the crowd and was in danger of being trampled. Miss King, while attempting to protect her mother, was badly crushed. Both were victims of acute hysteria, and Miss King had to ho removed to hospital in an ambulance.

HARRIER BROKEN DOWN

AUCKLAND. May 12

The situation at the wharf developed rapidly. At 1-30 the gales were opened, and by 2 p.in.. the whole quay between the sheds and the sea up in the gangway was packed. That meant that every inch of 2 c,(100 square feet was occupied or an avenue 39 leet wide by 200 yards. The long gates were shut behind this mass ol packed humanity. Gradually they filed aboard the Hood and the great vessel absorbed them without any undue crowd-

Meanwliile the gates were acting ns a. dam to the human tide which (lowed towards Prince’s Wharl. 'I he waterpolice estimated that there were 3.J.000 on the water front. A queue, four deep, had formed from the gates away round tn the ferry buildings, but those people were patient optimists. The triangular reclamation was an assembly ground for the vast majority who could not form queues. Ibis mass began to surge like a sea against the V' rrier.

A couple of constables and a few harbour board officials waved franticnllv to the crowd lo hold back. 'lhey were as ineffective as Canute in stemming the tide. The stout harrier began to yield. Frightened youngsters were able to scramble over it and escape into the calm inside. Tiic crowd cheered and heaved again. It v.as then that the gates were forced. It was the best thing that could have happened at Hie moment. Ihe spearhead of the -crowd was hurled through the breach and past the tiny garrison. Now troui all sides the picssurc was concentrated on this inlet, and the people in the centre were caught as in a mill race and shot at a half run into the calm of the quay lie.vond. The flow could not be stemmed until the mounted police .spurred through the crowd and stood guard at llio gates. This was effective. but those who had successfully stormed the gates, and they numbered several thousands, had still to lie dealt with. Their objective was the gangway. There the second battle oi the Hood took place. The ship was promptly dosed to visitors, and two constables, with marines and sailors held the gangway. Meanwhile tlu ‘ l :,, l )u ' l;t ' ( ‘ gan to pack up higher and higher in the 30 feet of quay between the sea and the shed.

Crushing episodes were acted ill over .-lit. ; t<r • • = * red laughter, the laughter being nproalioiis ulii’li once or twice llimsy frock-) were loin and feminine blushes ] revoked. Stiij the crowd would push, dc-piie -dl warning and the ii-k nf a dozen or so being spilled into ilie water.

Tbe Hood tvcs cheeiily booled and •‘counted out" a dozen times. A naval officer v. ho was mi honoured laughed at the crowd and they all laughed back at. liiiu. but no one got aboard. Viewed from a balcony above, the quay presented e. strange spectacle. Nothing of iis Hoar could be seen, only a pile carpet oi' .-.r.eying fell bats variegated by millinery. Slowly the bead of the crowd moved by sheer weight | ast its objective. It was passed .back in force, lime and again, giving the elicit of a gigantic football scum. Tbe crushing at the gangway at these moments was most .severe. An hour passed with little alleviation at the centre, although both end- of the column slowly dwindled.

A score of polite nriived and their ail! borit v. added to tbe slow born conviction that tlte I lend wits elo-eil. began to make a real impression. l!y I p.in., the crowd was manageable, and gradually melted away.

A TEMI’ORARY DIVERSION. AUCKLAND. May 12. The crowd thronging to see the liait le-ei ui-er Hum! wc:e treated to a spectacular performance not. included in the official welt nine so the Fleet. The chief actors were a large blink and white cow. a polite t unstable three

workmen and a Harbour Board official. ’Hie cow .-taried the ; crl’nriennee and v.o s tluouglnuit tbe most prinmin.ent figure. Tbe animal was on the northern wharf awaiting shipment. when she bolted across Quay Street and the level eiossing on to Customs Street Eiist. with her head down and her tail Weil up. pedestrians scattering before her in all directions. The animal charged along Customs Street and. ignoring all traffic logo,lotions and ''stop’’ and “go" signals “cut the cor-

ner" into Lower Queen Street in a manner dangerous to the public safety, the onlookers giving her an ample path, tin reaching Ferry Buildings, the cow turned towards L’rineo’s Wharf, much to ttie consternation of the large crowd viewing the Hood, as many of whom as possible promptly sought safety in the nearest shelter-shed. After investigating the old dock site, the fugitive turned her attention to a well-kept strip of grass, which runs on the western side of the Harbour Board buildings, and entered an iron-railed enclosure.

Tbe spectators now came out from their shelters, and one bolder than the rest slammed the gate shut; this -coined to annoy the animal, which gave an excellent imitation of ploughing with its front hoofs, at the same time mooing in a manner that caused the more nervous of the spectators to look for safety zones. Having exhausted itself by this display, • the beast retired to a corner, much to the detriment of a lied of yellow chrysanthemums.

Tt was then that workmen entered the arena. Getting out from the building by the back door, they laid a snare for their victim, with half-inch hemp ropes across the narrow alleyway between an out-building and the main building. The next tiling to do was to entice the victim into it. but this proved to be no easy task; no sooner would a man appear round the corner of tbe alleyway than the cow would lower her bead, paw the ground and make a dash at him. causing » fiastv retreat to shelter.

The next actor in the stirring drama "'ns n police cynstn-blo,, who fearlessly faced the furious animal, but unfortunately for hint the cow objected tohis uniform, or was tired of monotony, and promptly charged, and the man in blue vanished rapidly. One of the frequent showers experienced on Saturday occurred when affairs had reached this state, causing the spectators to seek shelter for a few minutes. On their return, they found that the tow had taken up a strong position at the entrance of the alley, ‘‘hailing up” the little hand most effectively. The animal’s attitude was so belligerent that it was obvious rashness to venture forth. Tlow long matters would have remained in this state is doubtful had not there arrived upon the scene an “official” wearing, a peaked cap decorated with gold lai-e. He. with undoubted presence of mind, opened a gate wide, and the cow. seeing a w*v of escape open, lowered her head and went for it. • The spectators dispersed in disorder before this onslaught, and positions on roofs of shelter-sheds were in keen demand. The cow, however, seemed to have lost interest in the crowd, and made off along Quay Street as fast as she could.

Most of the spectators decided to let well alone,-and returned to their delayed scrutiny of the Ilood. hut a few followed the bovine-actress, who after investigating King’s Wharf, was last seen iloiug record time along the tailway yards;