TITHE WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1932, Page 3

TITHE WAR

, : LOjS'p'ONj December & Several hundred Kent farmers and tlieir h.en ’ sueos&sful'ly 'prevented the removal of stock which had been die..trained on for non-payment cf .tithe m the. Kith am Valley district, near Folkestone. Three large' Itrtries wer?, sent to. collect the goods, butvfchey were compelled to retreat without any of the. eighty-nine lots. ’ " • • The farmers had organised.' them-' selves oil war lines. At each of ten hmii, where stock was to be seized a. small body of men stood guard, while the ifarmers’ main forces, having been brought from all parts of East, Kent, were concentrated in the 'village square ready to rush to any farm if attempts were -made to remove stock. The j •signal for help from any cir the farms j war, to be the firing of rockets. •The lorries, however, with a representative of Merton Celleo-e Oxford,- , _ to whom the tithe is payable, and a county court baiililf;turned, back after getting into the t'enemy” ■'••, coiintry where they found .themselves.surrounded by superior fopees. . •After a consultation,with some police officers the retreat commenced ambsoon the Ifarmcru’ scouts on motor-cycles brought in repot,ts that 'lorries, were on their wav bach to London. The farmers stood by. , until dusk in case of•;.a surprise attack:- before dispersing.