RIOT IN DUNEDIN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 78, 11 July 1910, Page 5

RIOT IN DUNEDIN

POLICEMEN MOBBED. By Telegraph.—Press Association, rw { Dun ' lin ' L »st Night. w'f i iisifniceiul scenes Dlaceir/ fol ' - l0 "tf U,ne took place hot evening. A. )o ut u.45 the police had occasion t0 mak , au f ully an hour after that they had their bands full i H coping with » mob of disorderly people some hundreds stronwho took almost complete charge oi affairs for the time being. ° At the time mentioned above, Sergeant cdes and Constable Sweeney arrested a man named John Wilson on a charge of disorderly conduct while drunk. As they were taking him down to p cab Wilson's brother appeared on the scene and, it is asserted, assaulted Constable Sweeney, striking him on the back of the head and cheek. The' man was immediately arrested by Sergeant Eceles. A crowd quickly gathered, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the police got their prisoners to the station. The road and footpaths were crowded with an excited mob, who made a violent demonstration against the officers of the law. After much difficulty the two Wilsons were got into a cab, but when the driver was ready to start it was found that the liame straps had been undone. In course of time the police! sa/fely lodged both men in the cells. About half an hour later it was found necessary to make another arrest, and on this occasion the disgraceful scene was repeated. Several stones were thrown during the disturbance, and one of the cab windows smashed.

John Wilson will be charged with drunkenness, obscene langtmgi. <md resisting the police; and David Wilson with assaulting, obstructing and resisting the police, and with using obscene language.- As a result of the demonslration two other men, named Walter Spence and Charles Graham, were also arrested, the former on a charw of being drunk and disorderly and inciting the crowd to assault Constable Sweeney. irnd the latter with obstructing the police and assaulting Constable Fox. The trouble is believed to be due to the unpopularity of one of the constables. After the arrests had been effected, another constable was mistaken for the one against whom there is so much feeling. He went up the street, and « crowd of fully two hundred followed him lip High street, through the Arcade, and down Maclaggan and Rattray streets to Princess street.