MOB ATTACKS TRAM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 217, 7 May 1932, Page 5

MOB ATTACKS TRAM

(Press Assn.

SURPRISED AND ROUTED BY "SPECiALS" WEARING TIN HATS PLUG OF GELIGNITE FOUND

. — By Telegraph — Copyright).

CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Five Kuridred tem,porary policei who streamed Qiit- of the Tramway Board's sheds like an army at the double completely surprised and routed ' a crowd of three hundred rioters whoi, armed witK iroii bars and sto'nes,' atfacked a Sumner tram, the first one qut of the sKeds, at 6 a.m. to-day. Many of the tram windows were ' smashed. The rioters offered little resistance to the police, who, hy prodding them sharply with batons and using their feet on shins and their fists on faces, drove them back along Fitzgerald Avenue and, over the intersection of F'erry Road. The "specials," who wore wartime steel helmets, ' used their fists and feet when necessary. One man who made to strike at a constable with a steel bar was forestalled by a police baton, which knocked him unconscious. He and eleven other men were arrested. A Plug of Gelignite A plug of gelignite sufficient to derail a tram was placed on the lirie at the intersection of Fitzgerald Avenue and Ferry Road. It was hidden from view by a pile of dust, which the policemen negligently kicked. That saved the Sumner tram on its returri, though some small pieces of gelignite which remained on the line caused an explosion of the force of a detonator. A tramwayman who was cycling to work was pulled to the groUnd, kicked in the ribs, and given the option of remaining there of going home. He was rescued by the police.