POLICE RIDE DOWN STRIKERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 144, 5 November 1912, Page 5

POLICE RIDE DOWN STRIKERS

AX EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.

WAIHI MOB GET OUT OF HAND. By Telegraph—Presß Association. Waihi, Last Night. A remarkable scene was enacted in the Main street on Saturday evening as the outcome of a big rally by the unemployed and their womenfolk, chiefly directed against one or more prominent contractors who had resumed work. During the afternoon there were indications of unusual activity amongst the men and women, and at an early hour in the evening the usual Saturday night sightseers thronged in the Main street. By way of a curtain-raiser to a big rally of the unemployed and its sensational sequel, ill-smelling eggs were projected indiscriminately amongst the crowd in different streets. The signal for the rally was the aj penranee of the contractor referred to. Hi 3 pres.Mije had an almost startling effect on the women. As ho came within range el vision ivifli a groat cry'they rushed t.owm.ds him, howling and hurling all kinds of epithets. They were quickly joined by others, and presently those in the Miners' Hall made their exit and helped to swell the increasing number, which consisted mostly of women and girls, and pandemonium ensued. Prior to this there were only ten police on street duty. After the first onslaught by the women the contractor turned back, and the crowd went after him. Later he was followed up the Main street by a yelling crowd. At the street corner the police took a determined stand and barred the progress of the mob, who, with women In the lead, were forcibly pushed back amongst the oneoming crowd. At this juncture mounted constables swept up the main street, scattering the crowd from right to left, most of them fleeing on to the already congested pavements on either side of the street. On reaching the corner, the chief point of interest, a eonstable rode on to the pavement, right into the thickest of the howling, excited crowd. Down the footpath he rode, scattering men and women in all directions. Those armed with waddies and sticks dropped them in their frantic efforts to get out of the way of the horse. Many rushed through and over McGlashin's timber yard fence. Amongst, those who adopted this means of escape, says an eye-witness, was Mr. Semple. The scene opposite the Miners' Union Hall, as the mounted constable approached, almost beggars description. Men and women fought their way into the narrow entrance "of the hall. Many of the women, it is said, were thrust aside by men in their eagerness to get inside. Meanwhile an immense throng had assembled on the opposite pavement. After effectually clearing the pavement on the Union Hall side of the street, the constable directed his attention to the other side. There he repeated the performance, dashing on to the footpath. The crowd rushed for shelter in all manner of places. Within five to ten minutes : of the appearance on the scene of the mounted police the mob were dispersed and comparative quiet was restored. A remarkable feature of the incident was that nobody was injured.