DRAMATIC COUP

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 623, 30 August 1933, Page 7

DRAMATIC COUP

eviction scrimmage

REMARKABLE SCENES BETEEN ' UNEMPLOYED AND POLICE. BATONS USSED FREELY. Remarkahle scenes were enaeted in Melbourne when, as the result of a dramatic coup, the police evicted 95 unemployed single men from a terrace of eight double-storey hrick residences at Fitzroy. The police and the* men clashed later in a lively scrimmage in which batons were used freely. The men were marching to the city carrying their roughly-made stretchers and their few belongings. The men took possession of the terrace about a year ago and although they had been told at various times that they must leave they adopted a policy of "masterly inaetivity." They were surprised, therefore, when a big squad of police arrived on Tuesday morning and they quietly removed their belongings toi the street. Their possessions, which comprised mainly makeshift beds and the barest household utensils, completely blocked ohe street for a distance of more than 150 yards. The men had« styled themselves "The Unemployed Single Men's Group of Melbourne," and paid no Tent. They had established themselves in the terrace on a community basis, and one of the rooms was known as the ofiice. Most of the others were used as bedrooms, and there were notices calling upon the occupants to keep the premises clean. Most of the members of the group were at one time in the Government camp for unemployed single men at Broadmeadows, and they lef t the camp and occupied a delicensed hotel at Coberg. From this they were also evicted. The men appeared to take Tuesday's eviction quite calmly and in good humour until some of their leaders addressed them, and then there were signs of impending trouble. Rally Effort Circumvented. A dole strike is in progress in parts of Melbourne, and messengers were sent in an attempt to rally the unemployed for a big meeting, which was to have been held at the spot where the evictions had taken place. However, police surrounded the quarter and prevented the approach of any who did not have business within the area. The evicted men then set out on a march to the city, the leaders saying that the intention was to interview the Minister of Sustenance. Several girl sympatHisers joined in and carried suitcases while men carried the beds and bedding. On some of the stretchers pans, clothing and other articles were piled high. With shouting and singing, the strange proecssion reached a point about 200 yards from the Sustenance Department, near the State Parliament House, when about 14 policemen leaped from a passing tram. A big party of police then arrived in vans and the procession was ordered to stop. The leading files dropped their stretchers, and at once practically every man began to fling swags, bundles and kitchen gear on to the tram tracks. Some of the men rallied the marchers to proceed, and immediately the police charged the head of the procession, swinging their 'batons freely. Rush to Churchyard. Then followed a seene of wild confusion. The evicted men and their sympathisers ran in all directions to . the thud of batons on their skulls. A few. punches were exchanged ,and then charging the line the police drove the demonstrators back to the gates of St. Patrick's , Cathedral. Somebody shouted "All into the churchyard. We will he safe there." No opportunity was given to the men to hold a meeting, however, and the police soon cleared the churchyard. The men were gradually driven from the city proper, and none of them returned to pick up his belongings. These were scattered all over the street, and tram traffic was delayed for some time. Finally a party of police moved the dehris to the. footI path. As the marchers made their retreat there were some lively en- . counters with the police, who were . jeered at and hooted by a section of the crowd. Later the leader of the Opposition interviewed the Minister and it was announced that the men would he suitably housed and their belongings collected for them. The men refused to return to the Broadmeadows camp, and also objected to work for sustenance. They promised they would consider going to work under a forestry scheme.