GERMAN SHOP WRECKED.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 734, 6 January 1915, Page 5

GERMAN SHOP WRECKED.

UNRULY MOB AT GISBORNE.

ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.

y % A demon atration was made by a number of young men about nine o'clock on New Year's Eve. at Gis-, - borne, outs id a of the Bhop of a naturalised German named F. Wohneiedler, who conducts a pork bucher's shop.

A well-aimed stone smashed a big plate-glass window of the shop. The crowd* gradually increased in numbers, and atones became more frequent until all the local police, were called out to keep' the mob in order. Wohnsiedler then closed the premises and /extinguished all the lights. By midnight there were fully 2000 people surging round the shop, swinging patriotic songs and the police bad an : unenviable time, there being several ugly rushes. Stones and bottles were now being thrown in volleys at regular intervals and as each pane of glass went the crowd cheered lustily and by one o'clock the premises W9re completely wrecked, every pane of glass in the building being smashed to splinters, while-the interior of the shop was also badly knocked about.

At one stage tha Mayor was sent for by the police. He drove, up in a motor car and attempted to addresß the crowd.- He Was unable to obtain .a hearing while a volley of stones smashed the wind-shield of the car. Tha crowd finally disperse! about 2 a.m. _,

THE SEQUEL

ONE'OFFENDER'FINED £B.

" : ~ ■ Gisborne, Sa'-urday. - 'James Blance, for wilfully damaging a jjsVe of glass in connection with Thursday night's raid:, was fined £3 and costs to-day. He was also charged with inciting other persons to break and enter, and was fined £5 and costs. - Proceedings against others are likely to ft How.