A CHRISTCHURCH INCIDENT

Taihape Daily Times, 30 April 1918, Page 5

A CHRISTCHURCH INCIDENT

AN UNPRECEDENTED SCENE. DISGRACEFUL ACTION BY THE CROWD. SECOND DIVISION GO INTO CAMJA CHRISTCHURCH, APRIL 29. Very keen interest was taken to-day in the assembling of the first section of the Second Division to go into camp. A big crowd of people gathered in the vicinity of King Edward Barracks during the afternoon, women folk being in particularly strong force. Inside the barracks, where the reservists were being marshallep, there was a good deal of noise and hooting from the The Mayor Appeared on the sceiiib,,';and Ills presence was a signal for a wild demonstration. The cheering and hooting continued. “We want more money,” shouted a man, and cheers greeted the announcement, i The Mayor, who was gazing at the upheaval of the citizens from the balcony ,was asked “What do you think of it, Mr. Mayor?” by a voice from the mob; but his Worship only sadly shook his head. Major Conway appealed to a policesergeant to clear the barracks, but the sergeant simply asked": '‘What can I do?” “I have asked you now three times to clear the barracks,” said Major Conway. “I cannot do so. What can I do?” retorted the sergeant. Finally the military • authorities gave up the attempt to ,get an orderly roll-call of the men, many of w r hom were anxious to'go into camp, and expressed their intention of doing so. These were advised by the officials to proceed singly to the railway station to catch their train. A good proportion of the large crowd left the building, but a numerous section remained, and indulged in ironic numbering-off on parade, and other cat-calls#* Outside in the street a wild scene was taking pla'ch. The civilian police had undertaken the arrest of a man for disturbance, and when they tried V'Jlif. ’’T vvl JI ■ ■ "I !.>’ jl to take him;io.,tuft barracks, the dense crowd* closed "round, and many spectators, .chie^y-,women, urged the, others not, to fot them take him. Four or five hi® pcijceman grappled with the- man, iwho .-was of ath--1 letie build, " and ; . h,eu was /.being taken i along w r hen the spectators surged in front and drove back to a ditch. Here A scene ■'cl indescribable confusion occurred; and ‘'many I 'people were hustled over but ultimately the ■ < \ i.tU- K > - police got the man to the. ..barracks, and the gates were closed,... women trying'to climb the to get in.

When the police got' ’ through and closed :the gates*, oh'tthe. crowd,. they found .themselves in a, worse position than before, for there was a crowd of about fiyd hhndred people-'.inside me building. The struggle was renewed, and. the 'man"’got away, climbing over' the iron gate into Cashel Street. The crowd in the barracks remained very disorderly, and the Mayor, upon leaving the building with Major Morrison, was followed by men, women, anc youths, all hooting and shouting offensive remarks.

The North Canterbury dfaft of 28 men got away fairly quietly,.from the barracks, a big portion of the crowd folowing them. More difficulty was experienced in marshalling the Christchurch city draft, on account of the crowd in the barracks, but eventually 90 (out of about 150 on the list) were asembled at the back entrance to the barracks', and were given their passes and directed to make their way to the railway station. Despite the"uproar in and around the barracks, the police kept their head and tempers, and it "was due to their tactful handling of the crowd that things did not turn out far more serious. There was ho monstration at Lyttelton on the departure of the ferry steamer with the draft, only the usual farewells. It is understood that 145 reservists boarded the steamer out of an expected 2 7r men. These figures are for the whole of North Canterbury and South Canterbury districts, the latter coming through by train.

Commenting on the afternoon’s proceedings, Mr. Holland (the Mayor) said it was a disgraceful exhibition. He did not think such a thing was possible while so many were at the front doing their bit.