A WANGANUI RIOT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 209, 17 May 1915, Page 4

A WANGANUI RIOT.

GERMAN SHOPS SMASeJK. WINDOWS BROKEN IN. GOODS LOOTED. WANGANUI, There were persistent rumou"?* current last week that W/4ganui's customarycalm would be disturbed on Saturday night by demonstrations and scenes cf more or less violence of a reprisal nature. It was noticed that Mr. C. Heinold's premises which are usually the scene of a brisk trade on Saturday evenings, were closed, the light extinguished aDd the window curtains Imng up. Hero and there were mem bevs of the policeforce, with an alert look, md like the crowd, awaiting ending events. There was no mistaking the fact that an un» ruly element, mostly young men, were present, nad open threats were occa« sionally made -as to what was to follow.

"Wait till ten o'clock and some os* the lights go out!" one youth, whose coat pockets had an ominous bulge,, declared defiantly. By eight o'clock: the dimensions of the crowd had in« creased considerably, and general attention was diverted by the Garrison Band playing selections in aid of the* National Defence movement.

"There's the fire bell!" called somen body, and the clang of the bell at thtT Central Station proved the means of' drawing the bigger portion of the crow along Maria Place as far as St. Hill Street. With a snort of the syren the big motor reel hurried up the street bu as no reflection In the sky was visible;, the crowd became suspicious. "It's a lie!" cried a youth, in strident tones, and in unanimous agreement a general movement was made' back towards the storm centre.

A burst of cheering greeted theMayor (Mr. E. C. Mackay), who appeared on the balcony of His Majesty's Theatre block, with the intention of apealing to the crowd. For fully five minutes the Mayor endeavoured to make himself heard, but his remarkswere drowned in a tempest of hooting and yelling. A bursting craeker exploded in his face. Mr. Mackay then proceeded across the street, and again, but without success, tried to addressthe crowd from the footpath in front of Mr. Heinold's shop.

Up to this time the police had been able to keep the crowd, back from the footpath, but a series of ugly rushes set in.. Chanting "Kaierau! Kaierau!" a number of men drove in a wedge formation, and overpwern the police surged up against the shop window. One man was seen to wrench a brass bar of the window frame clean out position with the rusult htat the ance of the shattered structure praeically collapsed. So fierce was me rush that several people were actually pushed into the interior of the displayportion of the shop A>ront. The crowd pushed in under the verandah of the Melbourne Clothing Company, adjoining, with the result that this firm's large plateglass window sue cumbed to the presure and falilng outwards, smashed into fragments on the ground. The breaking glass flew like spray and it was fortunate that some of the people in the vicinity did not receive serious injury. The disturbance was now at its height. Stones were still being thrown at Mr. Heinold's premises, but there wsa no longer any glass to break, and the dull thud of the missiles could heard rebounding inside the building.

Occasionally there came a combined shout of "Eemember the Lusitania!" and wild rumours were passed from lip to lip of other premises to be wrecked in turn.

It is a truism that a crowd of people are like a flock of sheep. "What about Hallenstein's?" shouted somebody; among a ot lof unruly members. "Come along!" yelled a small boy. Immediate* ly a wild rush commenced down the Avenue. At the old Wanganui Clu& premises, where building work is Hi progress, some of the crowd stopped a moment to gather bricks and other missiles.

On arriving at the post-office corner the crowd found that the locality was well lighted, a fact that had for a brief interval a restraining effect. Taking advantage of the lull, Mr. Deighton addressed the crowd and exhorted them to be British.

The Mayor also stepped into the breach. Mr. Maekay pointed to a bleeding wound on his face, and earnestly appealed to the crowd not to further disgrace the town. "Don't come down to the Germans' level!" he shouted above an increasing tumult. Once again the irrepressible small boy came into the limelight. With a swing of both arms he stepped forward and hurled a seven-pound brick at the window. This dangerous missile fell short and did not do any damage. This was a signal for more stonethrowing, and in a few moments all Messrs. Hallenstein Bros.' windows, with one exception, were broken. Along Ridgway Street came . Bounds: of further crashes of breaking glass, and it subsequently transpired '% that two of the Bristol: Piano GoSfry' windows had been broken!™ '■ * \, It vv«s now almost midnight. No fur- -| the* d«.msge was recorded, and th*' crowd gradually dispersed. although ;-;oEie stayed about the streets iMitO tha