WANGANUI RIOTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 14, 17 May 1915, Page 5

WANGANUI RIOTS.

Peb Phebs Association. Wanganui, May 16. Riotous scenes were witnessed in the streets last night, the storm centre being a pork butcher's shop occupied by a naturalised German named C. Heinold. Early in the evening a crowd gathered outside the premises, which in consequence of persistent rumors were closed and the lights extinguished. The police were present in force. Shortly after eight o'clock stones were thrown through a window and an excited mob surged round when the police tried to effect an arrest. By ten o'clock a crowd of several thousands was in the vicinity and feeling was running high. A series of ugly rushes were overpowered by the police, but plate-glass windows were smashed by a fusilade of stones. The -Mayor tried to address the crowd, but was howled down. During the riot plateglass windows of the .Melbourne Company's drapery premises adjoining were also smashed. By eleven ••o'clock Heinold's windows in both the upstairs portion and the shop had been completely wrecked. The culminating scene was witnessed when a Territorial in uniform climbed on to the verandah above the street and hoisted the Union Jack amid great excitement, the crowd singing the National Anthem and patriotic songs. At this stage the unruly element in the croud comenced to shout: "What about the others.'' A wild rush was started for Hallensteiu Bro's. threestoryed building at the coiner of the Avenue and Ridgway Street, a block away. During the stone throwing the Mayor, who was belediug from a stono wound in the face, again addressed the crowd and urged them not to disgrace the town, but to be British.

Kioti-ig continued to midnight, when the stone throwing gradually ceased. A feature of the disturbance was the number of women and boys among the crowd. One youth was scon to deliberately throw a full-sized brick at Hallenstein's windows, and all the plate-gh'ss windows in these premises were subsequently smashed, and the crowd proceeded along the street to the Bristol Piano Co.. where two windows were broken. At the height of the trouble feeling was intense and there were threats to wreck premises of quite a number of shopkeepers. The police handled the situation with tact, but were powerless to prevent damage being done. Heinold's shop was lootled, not an article remaining. Hams, j sausages, and other goods were stolen. One man was arrested for stealing from Hallenstein's.