COMMUNISTS FLEE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 73, 17 November 1931, Page 5

COMMUNISTS FLEE

(Press Assn.

BOURKE SETTLERS PREPARE TO CARRY OUT THREAT MOXON AND PARTY VANISH

— By Telegraph— Copyright).

Rec. Nov. 16, 7.0 p.m. SYDNEY, Tuesday. Settlers and bushmen on horses and in cars converged to Bourke all night long and formed into parties which at daybreak began an intensive search for Moxon and other Communists, intending to drive them out of the township if they had not already gone. At 9 o'clock it was clear that they had disappeared. At least, the keenest eyes were unable to discover any signs of them. The anti-Communist leader, Dr. Alcorn, is now convinced that the Communists have left the river locality where they had been camping.

It is reported that Dr. Alcorn has telegraphed to the Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, and the State Minister for Works, Mr. Davidson, asking that action be taken to deal with the Communists, but has received no reply. Mr. Davidson's reference to the matter was: "I got a) wire from some doctor, but I took no notice of it as he is not a responsible person so far as I know." A message from Sydney published on Saturday said: Sensational happenings in which Communists were involved are reported from the wayback western hamlet of Bourke, in the centre of a rich pastoral district. A small party of Communists, led by a man named Moxton, was located there malcing infiammatory speeches and intimidating graziers and the townsfolk. They declared that a re.volution was imminent and enlisted unemployed farm labourers in the "Red Army." The climax was reached when hundreds of farmers' sons and citizens, led by a local medical man, Dr. Alcorn, formed themselyes into a citizens' defence army and marched on the Communists' headquarters. They were armed with palings and batons. The defenders ordered Moxton and his companions, who were living on the dole, to leave Bourke, and gave them three days in which to do so. . Moxton appealed to the police to protect him.' Dr. Alcorn, acting as spokesman for the citizens, told Moxton he must leave by Sunday, otherwise the citizens' army would take forcible measures to that end.