PATIENCE EXHAUSTED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 71, 14 November 1931, Page 5

PATIENCE EXHAUSTED

(Press Assn.-

citizens act COMMUNIST TERRORISTS GIVEN THREE DAYS TO LEAVE OUTBACK DISTRICT FARMERS ^ MEA-N BUSINESS

-By Telegraph — Copyright.)

Rec. Nov. 13, 8.25 p.m. SYDNEY, Friday. Further sensational happenings concerping Communists are reported from the way-back western hamlet of Bourke, the centre of a rich pastoral district. A small party of Communists led ■ by a man named Moxton have been located there, makmg" inflammatory speethes, and intimidating graziers and townsfolk, declaring a revolution imminent and enlisting unemployed farm labourers in the "Red Army." The local police a.re powerless and everybody has been terrorised. The climax was reached yesterday when hundreds of farmers and citizens led by a local resident, Dr. Alcorn, formed themselves into a Citizens' def ence army and marched on the Communists' headquarters arm'ed with palings and battens. They ordered Moxton and his companions, Who are living on the dole, to quit, giving them three days" to leave Bourke. The Comihunists were armed with picks, shovels, hammers, pieces of iron piping and timber. Moxton ap•pealed to the police to protect them. Dr. Alcorn, acting as spokesmen for the citizens, told Moxton that he must leave the town on Sunday ■otherwise the Citizens' army would take forcible measures to that end. Dr. Alcorn had difficulty in restraining his followers from an immediate attack. The police appealed to the crowd to do nothing rash. Dr. Alcorn agreed and sternly warned Moxton that he must be out of the district in three days. Dr. Alcorn stated that only the reading of the Riot Act by the local police sefgeant prevented bloodshed. The Riot Act would not prevent bloodshed when the next clash came.