AUCKLAND RIOT

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1932, Page 6

AUCKLAND RIOT

LOOT UNESTIMATED

SCENES WITHOUT PARALLEL.

(By Telegraph —Per Press Association)

AUCKLAND, April 15. ■Aucklanders, on coming to Queoa Street thfe morning, beheld a scene nnparelleled in the history oi tl.e dt> Thousands of people comiortab e their homes last night, knew nothin*, of the riot in Queen Street, and, on hearing or reading of it this morn.ng, staggered. There had been rumours of “trouble,” but nothing definite, and when the big unemployed procession on Wednesday proved <>rde - } v and almost entirely good humoured, the ordinary citizen probably lelt satisfied that, if anything untoward «■- curred, it would not be serious, and would be easily controlled. This morning they have, the ornenrc of their eves that the criminal and trite. *,»cnt» « f rTt held swav in Queen Street last night, •X„ Queen Street alone, *2IP broken shop windows were counted, and tmose in side-streets probably bring the total to 9 50 At the time of writing there is no possibility of assessing the value of looted property. Some shopkeeper never heard till too late, of what was happening to their premises and it likelv that it will take most of them many hours to ascertain what they lost. Evidence of the looted shops seems to show clearly that- this was no food riot. As far as was noticed, not one provision sliop was looted. The looters instead rifled jewellers’, tobacconists, clothiers’, confectioners’, and many other shops had windows broken, but little stolen, though this, in some cases is due to the hole in the glass not beimr big enough. Another thing certain is that the police forces were woefully inadequate to deal with such a situation. While nearly all the available police were struggling to control the mass of unemployed outside the Town Hall, criminals and larrikins on the fringe, broke away and swept down Queen Street, and there was nothing to stop them, many of the larrikins being youths and girls. T]m degree to which the riot was premeditated is uncertain. A!any rioters carried stones, which they obtained close to the Town Hall, and others were seen kicking in windows. This morning extensive preparations were launched to ensure that any further rioting would he instantly controlled.

TREATMENT OF THE INJURED

CASUALTIES TOTAL OVER 200

AUCKLAND, April 15.

Queen Street was thronged all this morning with ci'tizeUs who wandered up and down, crunching broken glass underfoot. Their expression was one of incredulity and dismay.

Over two hundred people were injured last night, of whom eight are in hospital, but they have all regained consciousness.

Walter Jones, 44 years of -age, is suffering from concussion, hut is no: serious, while Hugh Roberts, aged 49, received hand injuries. Three Constables, O’Wonnell, Yoeward and Bluffier were injured in addition to those already named.

For 'three hours there was a stream of people in Die main lobby of the Auckland Hospital, and about 50 of the injured were treated. In the city, the St, John Ambulance dressed tbe wounds of I'so people in wonderfully quick time. There were also two casualty stations at the Town Hall, and ambulance men went down Queen Street and dressed minor injuries by the light of street lamps.

One clothier has estimated his loss nit £I.,COU, including overcoats worth i£3CO. He says that had friends not rallied to help him, the looters would have cleaned out his shop.

'The manager of the tramways said to-day that the unemployed last night deliberately held up the trams m Queen Street, and for three hours they would not budge from the tram tracks.

FORTY-ONE ARRESTS MAIM

FINES RANGE FROM £lO TO £5

AUCKLAND, April 25

In all, forty-one arrests were made by the police, during the night, and the prisoners were brought down to the Court in several vans. 'The Court ve.-, strongly guarded by meal (fi l.ichments. The majority of the men we v charged with looting and these were fined £o, with £lO for Die worst cases. aim, lrn.il Roberts. described as “the worst of the lot." was sent to gaol for three, months. George Joseph Silva, charged ui|!i assaulting Constable C fM »k and Hated jve Whitehead. wa.s remanded, the police saying that both the latter «ci dangerously ill, and that tin ie mißit be a more serious charge. Eight other men were charged with unlawful assembly, and were remanded. George Devereaux, said t," be one ol the unemployed leaders, was 'liaigen with striking a constable, and was u'mandod for one week.

SPECIAL CONSTABLES RECRUITED. naval units provide patrol. .AUCKLAND. April 15. The .Mayor, Mr G. \V. Hutchison, announces that, to prevent a luilbci outbreak, three, hundred special constables have already been sworn in

and recruiting continues. This afternoon, naval units will provide patrols to assist the police, and the Royal Naval Reserve will lie oil duty throughout the evening. A squadron of mounted special police has arrived at liiis request from the country and will remain encamped in the eitv lib the trouble definitely subsides. They will he on duty day and night. All the foregoing voluntary forces will be directed by l-be Police Superintendent, and full support bus been promised by the Government for any emergency measures that may be decided. Street processions and public meetings of unemployed are definitely prohibited till furl her ""lice, ami Hie Mayor asks all, not on special dulv, lo 'f, Ik toniglil, living I'"’ sic,.els clear of all ove,>l. I hose who are look ing lor I rouble.