THE NOVEMBER STRIKE RIOTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1213, 26 February 1914, Page 4

THE NOVEMBER STRIKE RIOTS.

SENSATIONAL ACCOUNT,

The readers of the "New York Call,” a Socialist organ issued by The Working Men’s Co-operative Publishing Association, have seen more startling, ultra-sensational "news” of the recent strike in Wellington than the local eyewitnesses. The following is the account given of the disturbances by the "Call’s’’ correspondent "Wellington, New Zealand, November 25th. —Whatever hopes there had been of peacefully settling the strike of the waterside workers here were utterly destroyed by a concerted charge of drunken mounted troopers and ‘scab’ specials, on a crowd of about 2,000 men, women and children last night. The gathering took place on the corner of Taranaki and Webb streets, at 6.30 o’clock. By 8 o’clock the street was covered with wounded, two boys breathed their last, and all New Zealand vowed vengeance upon the haled cavalrymen, the ‘specLls,’ and the bloodthirsty employers. "The charge, for sheer brutality, was one of the most wanton attempts to intimidate the strikers that have ever been witnessed here. Without a word of warning, the soldiers and armed specials swooped down upon the assembled thousands and struck right and left with their bludgeons, shooting down anyone who dared withstand their charge. "The specials had been filling up with strong drink all the afternoon at the Hotel, according to subsequent statements by some of the barmaids of the hotel. Drunken and carousing men were marshalled together by Commissioner Cullen as soon as it grew dark, and held in readiness for the attack.

“The prelude to the shooting charge was a hose display. Currents of water, strong enough to sweep a strong man off his feet, and carry him along the street, were turned upon the women and children, who predominated at the meeting.

“While the latter were still dazed and bewildered by the powerful stream of water, the drunken specials came galloping down the street, striking out right and left.

“The two boys killed were shot in the head and in the legs. One was about 14 and the other 18.

“J. T. O’Brien tells of seeing a boy of ro pursued by two drunken soldiers, beating him with a club.

“One of the first victims of the charge was an old man of 70, who was badly hint by the horses’ hoofs. He was picked up by two young men, who in turn were run down. Two girls who had grabbed the bridles were dragged into a corridor by , a local resident. Tater, while he still held the girls inside the closed gate a drunken policeman rushed at them with a smoking revolver and tried to shoot them.’’