LIGHTNING STRIKE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1930, Page 5

LIGHTNING STRIKE

* IN SPANISH CAPITAL..

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

MADRID, .November 15

There was an amazing sequel to tlio

death of four labourers through tn<: collapse of a house, which'' allegedly ' was due to faulty construction ancl material. All of the building trade workers struck work to attend tlie men’s funeral, and they formed, with

others, a procession of fifty thousand

people. The police barred the waj through the central streets. During the ensuing confusion which was due to an attempt on the part of the crowd to force progress, the police fired a volley of bullets Whistling past the wreaths and coffins. The crowd then fled, leaving the cortege, until order was restored, when the funeral proceeded. Four were killed and thirty wounded.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

MADRID, November 15,

A tense situation has developed in Madrid, on the declaration of a lightning general strike to-day, as a protest against the action of the police firing on a crowd attending the funeral of four men who were killed in a building collapse, the firing resulting in,, two being killed and fortynine injured, including three newspaper men. Forty thousand downed tools. The strikers' were "taking drastic action against any workers refusing to obey their strike order. The strikers tore np flagstones and heaped them on the tram lines. The taxi-cabs disappeared, and most shops closed. Those shops remaining open, including big departmental stores, had their windows smashed. The strikers also overturned the stalls in the market pin,re, and th.ev molested and frightened the children going to school. The strikers nearly stripped some rather eccen-trically-dressed women. The students and mini.nettes enioyed parading the streets, and so adding to the confusion. •

Matters became yet uglier in the afternoon, when the police, in protecting the peaceful citizens, frequently came into conflict with the strikers, who, were attacking private motor cars. The doctors were only able to travel by’ affixing the Red Cross to their radiators.

Troops guarded the mail vans

The electricity, water and gas employees came ont for twenty -fom hours, and to-morrow the theatres, and cinemas will be, closed, and the newspapers are not expected to publish. It is generally felt that the situation is full of unpleasant possibilities, as the calling of the strike was done without any notice, and was tantamount to a revolutionary move,