MAY DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1931, Page 2

MAY DAY

DOMAIN DE MO NST RATIO:?. (Australian Press Association) SYDNEY, -May 1. The .May Day procession to-day proved a. tame affair. Several thousands of the unemployed congregated near the Central Railway Station, where they were joined h.v Suburban contingents tor the inarch to the Domain. Red banners and placards were prominent, including one on which was emblemed “Russia lead,! We will iollow 1 " Women were active participants. .Many men also carried pickhandles, wadtlies, and stones. A small, but noisy band, headed the march, which was marshalled by a man with a noticeable foreign aspect. Large crowds watched the procession through the streets and at the Domain where some of the leaders indulged l m provocative diatribes, calling on their hearers: “Bring out your a.i-.A!’ “Bring out the New Guard!’' “We’ll fight the lot.” These gibes elicited no response from the e. on it, who were quietly watching, and the demonstrators’ ebullitions soon cooled down.

HUGE POLICE FORCE. AT SYDNEY DEMONSTRATION. ""SYDNEY, May 1. The presence of literally hundreds of plain clothes and uniformed police along the route of the May Day pro* cession, prevented anything unu.sua> happening. Police wireless patrols ,i ted hero and tlioro at the rear ant, head of the procession. Mounted con stables were posted in the background Inueeu, it was an inspiring example ill' police organisation, not hitherto excelled, for which people along the sidewalks were most thankful. There was an all red perambulator, placarded • ‘Soviet Australia, 11)31,” and containing a baby. It was wheeled by a woman dressed m red During the inilninmatory speeches at the Domain, one orator, Mr M. Ryan, predicted that the workers would 1 be in control of industries oy next May Day. police attack demonstrators.

BRISBANE, May I. There were riotous scenes at Bris bane to-day during the May Day commemoration. The authorities having refused to senction for any procession the Communists and the unemployed sought to defy the police. The police rushed among the demonstrators, They scattered in all directions. A lew remained and they hurled threats ana insults nt the police who then charged them and knocked some of them down, and finally firj-esied about twenty "of them, ADELAIDE DEMONSTR ATION. ADELAIDE, May I. The police broke up a party of Communists at Port Adelaide to-day. None vore Illicit, but three wore arrested. The demonstrators defied tile police, so mounted men were then summoned, they scattered the crowd, TOKIO MARGH. 13,000 TAKE PART. TOKIO, May 1.

In view of the rumours of a Communist plot in connection with May Day for interfereoe with the electric ighting power supply, and of organised ittacks on official residences, the p.. lice, acting on the principle that pro ■ ention was better than cure, have nr •ested 800 extremists in the provincial •mitres during the week, and also over three hundred in Tokio yesterday; also ive hundred more to-day, before the tarting of the procession. Jn the procession fifteen thousand participated, including one thousand vomen.

Six thousand police enforced order during the procession, confiscating woa pons immediately, and suppressing me igitators.