Further Riots in Auckland

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1932, Page 5

Further Riots in Auckland

V . ' CHARGE BY MASSED “ SPECIALS.” ANOTHER LARGE CASUALTY LIST { CITY NOW REPRESENTS ARMED CAMP f ' (By Telegraph— rer Fress Association) AUCKLAND, April 15., Contrary to the conviction that all woulJ be quiet a ter Thursday night’s outbreak, more rioting broke out in Auckland last evening and there was again a big list cf casualties consequent up n a severe conflict between the “'specials” and the rioters. Aurk.aid . . is commencing to we:r a martial law appearance, the streets being paraded by the police and ““specials”, while Army, Navy, and Airforce units of the Defence Depar tment are at present qurriered n Auckland.

ecs, if there is a further recurrence of disturbance, with the attendant crowd of onlookers, 1 will lint hesitate to read the Riot Act,” added the Mayor. "Those who then elect to remain in the streets must take the coliseruenees.”

An ugly fight between the special constables and a section of rioters ec corral opposite the premises of the

Jinn Marche, in Karangahape Hoad to '

.night. /"T>vo men were seriously injured by baton wounds., A dozen iooi'e ineii received blows of a less serious character, A stone as thrown through n shop window, and that was the start of the fight, A section of the special constables were in packed formation, and brandishing their batons above their heads, rushed forward to arrest a man, shouting “Stand back! stand back!'’ to the dense crowd of people, comprising men, women and children, who got in their way.

At a late? hour it ivas ascertained that thirty arrests had boeh made tonight. They were principally oil char ges of rioting or mischief. There wits no actual looting.

ft i,s reported tlmt the ambulance treated thirty men for minor injuries. There are three cases in the hospital

CROWD IN QUEEN STREET.

LITTLE BUSINESS DONE

AUCKLAND, April 15,

As the specials jostled the crowd, curses were hurled at them by the men who were in front. The women shouted. “Leave him alone yon dirty scabs!” The next instant the street was

Although the greatest crowd was concentrated in Karangahape Road to-night. Queen Street was also filled with pedestrians, and motor traffic, till after nine o’clock. Little business was done, and when the shops closed, the stocks were removed from the windows, which were barricaded. Squards cf armed men, mounted and on foot, passed up and down and there were groups of police and of Special Constables. By ten o’clock the streets were quiet and a' ter the theatres emptied the conditions were tranquil.

thrown into hopeless confusion. The men used their fists and the specials | laid about them with their batons. ■ T’or three or four minutes, the street resounded with blows, the scuffling of feet, and frenzied yelling. One woman was knocked down in the melee, and she was carried into a

shop. Some half a dozen rioters, with bleeding heads and arms, reeled out or the struggling mass, leaving one of their number in tbe hands of the specials. The men who were in the forefront of the attack gradually thinned out. as some were put out of action by their jui'ounds, and others got out of the 'french of the specials. At least one man was arrested. He was bleeding profusely from a deep gash on his head, and he was led hwaV by two of the Specials, through h jeering and hooting mob. Groups of the' specials thou became involved in further actions as the grew on. The tactics of the special were to hand closely together, two or three deep, and then move forward through the surging throng whenever the crash and shatter of a breaking window of-

UXPRECEDKXTED SCEXES

ACCUSED MEN IX COURT.

AUCKLAND, April 15

Unprecedented scenes were witnessed this morning when over forty men, who had been arrested during the night and the «arly 'morning on various charge.-', made their appearance at the Police Court. “This Indian was one of the looters," Said Mr Gibson, after Mori*an Hotry had urlrnHted stealing some cigars arid jewellery of n total value of £2 3s 6rl, Hopry was fined £5, oi one month’s imprisonment, William Ardrell denied that he stole a watch and a bottle of whisky of a total value of £4 ss. He was remand ed until April 22. An American, Edmond George Kssory, pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in Princess Stredt. -‘This man is an American, who abused some special constables. Nothing is known about him.” said Sub-Inspector Gibson. Tissory was then fined £5, or one month in prison. Charged with assaulting a special constable, George Edward Porter pleaded not guilty. He also denied a further charge of taking part in an unlawful assembly. He was remanded.

fered thorn a point in the confused yjnnss of humanity on which to centre their attentions. The progress of the specials in this fashion was the signal for an outbreak of a storm o" shouting and screaming. Men and youths were hurling oaths upon them, and urging each other to “Go for them and stand your ground!” For twenty minutes or more one section of the Specials was kept moving from place to place in the dense- throng by the intermittent spasms of windows breaking. No sooner had they turned in one direction than there was a resounding crash on the opposite side <:f the street, which caused them to dash forward and alter their course and make for the place where the offender was thought to be. The crowd was impeding them. The crowd was so closely packed however, that by the time the specials reached the spot, everyone round the window had scattered, and all they could do fvas to keep part of the crowd moving until yet another window was broken on the opposite side of the street. A dozen windows or more were broken in this manner.

Then kheve was Aliro Lidovic (a Dalrnation) aged 24 years. He admitted the theft of a bottle of nun at the Waverley Hotel. He was fined ° v one month's imprisonment.

A young man named Leonard Roberts was 'the next r .o enter the. dock. He admitted .stealing five cigars and a bottle of whisky.

Detective-Sergeant McHugh said that | he was with Detoci.ive Brady and he saw Roberts break a window and enter a shop. “He was filling his pockets with loot, and we had to pull him right out of the window, said the Detective-Sergeant. “He kicked and punched us, and he called out. to the crowd to come -to his assistance. M r e kept the crowd back at the point of the gun, and when we handcuffed Roberts, he cried like a frog to make out that he was being hur:, but d'-ill the crowd did not come on. Roberts is the worst of -the lot.'’ Roberts was sent to gaol for 'three months.

NO ACTUAL LOOTING. RIOT ACT THREATENED. AUCKLAND. April 15 An announcement that, disturbances similar to those of the past two night, occurred again, he would have no hesitation in reading the Riot Act. was made by the Mayo..", Mr G. W. I Hutchison to-night. < The effect <>' the reading of the ( Riot Act will be that one hour alter it has been read, if the crowd docs not

Three men nop: appeared together. They were Andrew Henderson Woods. Keith Gordon Hellier, and Douglas William Harp. Each of them pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing six gold -rings, four cigarette lighters, two watches, two clocks, a tobacco pouch, a razor and a pipe, <’l a total 'nine oi £lO. the property of Skenhw '’.rn .. jewellers. All three were lined £5 each, or one month’s imprisonment. A fine of £5 or the usual alternative was impose I on Robot i Howartli. a""d 21, who stole a hat, six pi|-"S and some cigars, .all worth £7>. .fo.se.ph Henry silver, who admit 1 ' I '. the tilth of a string of an' said that tlmy were U.own out and he picked t.liem up, v ; filed >••• one month, as there will P r ' ~l "‘ ,: more scrim; ■< elm rge a-gn; ist I John Reid, wlm admitted 'rmalimg tiro hoIKV. some cigars, and shaving soap, of a total value of U>s, " :, s reirr"ided for a week. Five bottles of scent, some brass trays, and an ornament v.-rc stolen be Leonard Hensley. who was also lim'd £b oi- one month's imprisoniiH'ii'i.

disperse, ('very person who remains in the vicinity will lib liable to arrest and imprisonment for life, the Mayor said. He added : “That would mean that the whole of the sire-: Is wmld he cleared. As to-day was the late shopping night end the disturbance was purely local, the idea is not considered a fair thing. To make ev rvoiie leave the street would thus disturb busi-

ness. Fnrtbi a, f was relying upon the repiiest. that I Ind made through the Press that everyone who |i"opose<l to walk the streets out of curiosity

should shiv at home. As. however, they (li ( | not go home alter (he shops closed, it will undouhtedlv he neces-

sary in future to take st.-riier measure, and bring the public to a realisnlioi of its duties. Under such circumstan V. 1

Nicolo Nigro, a young man, pleaded guipy to the theft of a mouth organ worth .2s 6d. ’Aon are only 1/, so I wi 1 give you a chance,” said Mr Hunt. "You are convicted and ordered to come .‘up for .sentence when calk upon.” “This one has a very bad list ol previous convictions,” said the SubInspector, a hen Royal Desmond o'ipner pleaded guilty to the' thef: of two wristlet watches, s:x rings, cigarette lighters and oilier articles. He vw.i sentenced to six months’ gaoh Despite the- serious nature of the proceedings, there was much laughter concerning it he case of Edward Huia Toi'oa, a Maori. He was charged with stealing clothing and rings worth £l. He was further charged that he was an idle and disorderly person found b.v night armed with a repeating rifle and a bludgeon. Toroa pl-aded guilty to file first charge. Sub-Inspee or Gibson said lie would offer no evidence on the other charge, The Inspector said : “Toi'oa was timing as special constable. He had a rifle on his shoulder and a baton in his hand. After helping himself to some golds, he then joined up with the police again, He’s not a bad sort of fellow.” (Laughter). Toroa was lined £5 or one month’s imprisonment. A. large number of other offenders were deafi with in a similar manner by the Magistrate;

WAIKATO MOUNTED RIFLES

HUSHED V) AUCKLAND.

AUCKLAND, April 15.

Mounted men from Waikato, coni" prising two squadrons of the Waikato Mounted Rifles, who were in camp at Cambridge, volunteered for .special duty in Auckland on Thursday night. They reached the city this morning. They were quartered at Epsom (showgrounds. These men were- in uniform on arrival. It was decided, however, that they could not operate, a® a military force. They were therefore changed into civilian garb. Their arms were changed into batons. The decision of the two squadrons to offer their services for duty was reached following on the appeal made by the Mayor of Auckland over the air for reinforcements. At eleven o’clock on Thursday night, those of the men who were asleep in camp were awakened, and a number of others were recalled from a dance in the township of Gambridge. A request for railway transport was made to the railway authoiities at Frankton. The necessary arrangements were speedily carried out. A railway officer was despatched to Cambridge, and shortly after he aroused railway officers along the line to Cambridge. A -special train was then despached to Cambridge, and shortly after three o’clock this morning a start was made to entrain the men and their horses. The (special train got away for the city bv 4 a.m. By 9.30 a.m. the .squadrons were accommodated At the Showgrounds in preparations for oven* t.iinlifjpji, The hojwcvj of th* forces bad their show removed so as to make, their manoeuvres on paved roads safer.

LIKE ARMED CAMP

FORCES GATHER- IN AUCKLAND

AUCKLAND. April 15

In addition to protection provided by the police force and the special constabulary, there were army, navy, and Defence Force units also at hand in the city to-day. A\ hen the Police Court opened in the morning, detachments of the naval men picketed the approaches, preventing any disorder in the environs of the Court, while thej continued duty during the day. The members of the Royal Navy Volunteers Reserve were asked to present them solves for service in the evening, and some 2CX) men responded to tliD, call, 56 of these being men on the non-active list. They were employed in patrol duty. Two sections of naval men equipped with steel helmets and, batons, but without rifles or bayonets, were useif in Kavangalnipe Road. | The Permanent Defence Force milder command of Lieut.-Col J. E. Dul- ' gan, was invested with the responsibility of protecting a number of position*) in the city and the suburbs. This force j whicli w 4- equipped with steel helmerits, also rifles and bayonets and am ! munition, was on duty all day, and j also throughout the evening. I The members of the permanent -staff ! of the Holwoiiville Air base were called | into the city and were held as a Special reserve, under the control of tin | Defence Officers, who were closely cooperating with the police.

RECRUITING SPECIALS. WORK FOR DETECTIVES. AUCKLAND. April 15. Over one thousand special constables were enrolled by tin* police in the oitv to-day as a safeguard against further disturbances. Mr.S. Till, Superintendent of P'diie Ini.; direct charge of all operations. Now he lias ninler Ids coni fol m litmy, naval and air force units, a largely ;• iigmciitcd police force and the specinis force. The Doled ive Office was transl'orme,i inl.i a Recruiting Depot, when -six d *io'-l iv *s were kept bn.-v at i.vpev. , i 1 1 ■ i taking details nl those who » e o|teri "g 1 -''l 1,1 el i.uty l e- |-...... eight o'< i iel- nice >\ ere waiting ; ,t i be ollie lor -I'lieio and '.her was a coni 'anal -I learn of applieilllts until well j Iter mid-day, l.aler in the at i,-r: omi, when t-he thoiisiind mark bad been pn-sed, it was meessary to dose down oil aoplieal ions, in order Glut the special force should not be too nnweildy. All sorts and conditions of men oilered t limr servn cs. bill, the

majority, were young fellows of the average city type. SHOCK TO BRITISH PUBLIC. LONDON, April 15. The News of Auckland's rioting is displayed in big headlines in each of the morning newspapers. The news came as a great surprise. It is even a shock to the British public, who have not bean prepared by the earlier cables for the news. The public did not suspect the imminence of the trouble.

DISCUSSION IN SYDNEY.

SYDNEY, April'ls

The Auckland disorders are being featured in the newspapers. They also are being freely discussed by tile pub-

HAWKE’S BAY CONCERN

WAIPUKURAU, April 15

At a meeting of the Central Hawke’;, lliy Power Hoard, a resolution, moved by its Chairman was curried unanimon-ly stating the I card conveys to the Mayor of Auckland sincere regret and horror, at the great loss sustained by citizens, and also deplores the act on of those responsible f m the destruction, and considers the fullest protective measures be taken and that Parliament frame drastic regulations for the safety of citizen.? and private property. A copy of the resolution it to be forwarded. to the Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Members for the District,

ENROLMENT OF “SPECIALS.”

AUCKLAND, April 15.

At two o’clock to-day eight hundred “specials” had been enrolled, and it is expected that the total will excetd one thousand before evening.

The city continues to be full of rumours all of which have been investigated and found baseless.

ARREST OF LEADER.

AUCKLAND April 15.

Mr E. Lark, of Auckland, the President of the Unemployed Workers’ Movement was arrested this afternoon.

Another man, named Sharp, was also arrested.

MOTOR ACCIDENT FATALITY.

AUCKLAND, April 16

One man was killed and another injured seriously when a light motorlorrv in which they were riding collided with the hack of a heavy motor truck parked outside Freeman’s Bay Police Station to-night. The victim? were:—

Janies Nnughton, aged 37, married, of College Hill; killed.

Alfred Best, aged 33, single, of Cook Streethead injuries, and condition serious.

The motor truck with which the lorry collided was being used for the conveyance of special constables. It was waiting outside Freeman’s Bay Police Station.

NEWS RECEIVED IN ENGLAND.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph. -- Copy r i ght.)

LONDON, April 15

The “Manchester Guardian”, in an editorial, says: “The New Zealand ,-iots are disturbing. They reminded us of the poverty and hardship brought by the economic crisis conditions, and they must unquestionably be serious, to lead to such a display of violence in n country no less law abiding than ours. The Government has heroically tried to balance its Budget, but cannut. by itself, alter the world depression. New Zealand, like every other country is suffering from Europe’s crazy post-war economics.”

TIMARU TAKES ACTION. TIMARU, April 16. Tig. police have definitely decided that henceforth there shall be no processions, demonstrations, or open air meetings within the precincts of the Borough.