RIOT IN DUNEDIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 196, 12 April 1932, Page 5

RIOT IN DUNEDIN

(Press. Assn.—

UNEMPLOYED DEMONSTRATION 1 CONTINUES THROUGH ' WHOLE DAY' val CRO.WD RUSH HOSPI.TAL BOARD , ... . u v... « ' « - « . • ^ , AUTHORITIES BEGOMR ANXIOUS

-By Telegraph— Copyright).

DpNEpiJSF, Monday. The unrest which has been evident a;mong"the 'unemplbYed iri. Dunedin during the ,past few, 'days ichme to a Jiead thisYafferno'on, •wheh - a rush by a crowd .numbering several hundred on the ofdces . of (the fiospltal Board ' resultedL in" . a baton ; cbarge "By, the police.

: 4-s a consequence ' a numjber of person's were freated at' tBe hospifal for head injuries. ] From very early in the morning a crowd of un'emplqyed has been gathering in the streejt, and about mi'dday a crowd assembled in front of fhe Towtt H^l; yffiere 'tbe : Mayof Mr. R. jS. Black, who attempted to jtreason with Them, ■ was . subjected to some severn heck'ling. ♦ After two .of the leaders of the mob'had been dllowed to address the prowd from pfce sf&ps of. t^e-'Town H^ll, ' the Mayor f ef iise'a p6 ' permit the first speaker to contiftue ' from that position, and an unroar fojlowed for a few minutes.' The crowd then dispersed and marched .in a pr'pcessiori Through The streets, ' eventU'ally reaching* Greens Gardens,' where they were Taddressed By a numBer of speakers. A decision was made ' to marcB' to the Ho's- , pitaf Roard Office,' where, ' oh *arriaT, ; a cordon of police was found to he guardirig the "door. " * " After a brief parley with the police the crowd rusjhed the entrance. The police were jammed against tjie walls and real'ising that' the*f.' position was despdrate, drew tjieir" bafpns * an(J charged the crowd, which broke in all directions, though not hefore a few received damaged heads.

Hanover Rtreejt, in which the offices are situated, was quickly' clea^red of dempnstrators, and "a. shower of rain further dampened the spirits of the ' un'empio'yed, ' who dispersed throughout the city. After" t'ea," they agairi commenced to collect at the Tabernacle in Kih'g Street; where by -7.30 p.m. 500 had congreated. Their intention is not yet known. The whole police force in the city has .beeri brdere'd to report ' .at the Central station, and the. country police hhVe alfeo been caljed in. It is feared that a clash may occur at- any moment, as the police are ; determined ' riot to" permit tBe mo]b to cpntrol tjle situation, . .