“FOLLOWING-UP” IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 78, 25 November 1912, Page 7

“FOLLOWING-UP” IN CHRISTCHURCH.

FIVE HUNDRED AFTER SIX

During Mr Semple’s meeting in the King’s Theatre, Christchurch, nearly a. dozen young men had sat together about the middle of the hall. None of them interjected at all, they say, and all the talk came fromtsome person behind them. All they did was to vote against the motions put to the meeting. For that they were hooted and boohed at and called “scabs.” When the meeting was over (says the Press), the actual interjector got away undiscovered. Outside the building a little knot of men gathered around the six young men who had sat together. Soon a howling mob, not of youths but of grown men fell in behind them. At first it was just a calling of “scab,” and boohing and hooting. Cheers were given for “Bob” Semple and for the strikers. Then one man called, “To the river,” and others cried, “Put in the boot,” “Kick the scabs,” “Cot them on the run,” “Head for the river.” The six young men walked quietly. By the time they got to the corner of Colombo Street they were being hustled badly, struck at, and kicked from behind. One had his cheek cut by a slash from a walking stick. The crowd jostled the young men on their way across the Square.

When about twenty yards from the United Service Hotel it was seen that there was a policeman there, and that the licensee, Mr Grigsby, and the manager/ Mr Constance, were at the door. Nearly worn out the victims broke for it, the crowd practically with them. Five got inside, but the sixth collapsed on the doorstep. A constable kept the crowd back while the young man was dragged in, and afterwards helloed Messrs Grigsby and Constance to hold the doors.

“Steady, now; steady,” said the constable, “remember you’re all Britishers.” The answer came quick: “Don’t call ns Britishers!” The constable was trying hard to pacify the crowd, but his remarks were lost in cheers for “Bob” Semple and the Waihi miners. Inside the hotel the victims wore given an. opportunity to pull themselves together. They were highly indignant over the unfairness of the larrikinism. They had done nothing, they declared, except vote against the motions submitted.

None of the young men were staying at the hotel, and Mr Grigsby explained their presence to the Sergeant of Police, who agreed that the best thing to be done would be to keep them there until the crowd had gone. He would not approve of their going out as things were. After about half an hour’s delay they were taken down the back way. So far as could he seen their departure pasted* unnoticed. iThd crowd hung about the door Way for some time and thep ( quietly dispersed.