THE POLICE STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1919, Page 5

THE POLICE STRIKE.

IEAVE CANCELLED. MOM LOOTING AT LIVERPOOL. By Telegraph.—p.-ess Asia.—Copyright. London, August 31. General Macready has cancelled all police leave. It is believed that some who are absent under the guise of leave arc actively encouraging the strike. The cancellation will compel them to demonstrate their real feelings. In Birmingham the situation is serious. Four hundred eut of 1200 police aro involved. The organisers declare that tho tramway workers and fire brigade have promised support. The looting of Liverpool shops was renewed on Saturday night and Sunday, and, despite soldiers being drawn up in the streets, jewellery, grocery, clothing and boot shops again suffered. The looters carried their spoils to their homes in the neighboring streets and returned for more. They raided a sugar factory, also beer-bottling works. Men, women, and boys laden with bottles of beer paraded the streets drinking; others rolled barrels of beer into the road, where crowds with glasses, cups, and Jin's gathered round dancing and drinking. They ran away when the troops arrived, but returned and chaffed the soldiers. The .looters smashed the windows of a music warehouse, dragged pianos on to the pavement, and played for the dancers; Many looters were, arrested.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asan.

Insurance against fire loss by social disorders have been effected at 5a per cent, in Liverpool. Most of the city is now well protected, but the scenes of anarchy in the centre beggar description. St. George's Hall and the square in front of it, have been converted into a peat laager in which hundreds of stcelhelmoted soldiers arc stationed. Debris and loot litters the streets. The people push handcarts around collecting clothes and boots; children sit on the footpath* trying on. boots and contemptuously throwing away misfits. Baton charges have been the order of the dav, the police belaboring looters, but unable to stem the tide.

In the earlier melee a volley was fired. Soldiers in. a lorry caught looters of a wineshop red-handed, arrested them, and were returning with their prisoners when crowds attacked the lorry. The troops fired oyer, the crowds, and one man, who was trying to seize a soldier's rifle, was shot in the abdomen.

The damage caugefl by the riots In Birkenhead is estimated at £40,000 Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE DAMAGE AT LIVERPOOL.

LondA, August 4. The rioter who was wounded in the Liverpool riots has died. The damage in Liverpool at the weekend is estimated at £250,000. The crowd, showed the ugliest spirit, viciously wrecking fixtures, gutting shops, and savagely attacking "specials." The police fought gamely until the prisoners were lodged inside the ring of soldiers. The crowd frequently stampeded in un-

reasoning panic, and njany were trampled badly and hurt. When 100 regular police charged the mob fled, terror-stricken, to the side streets, where they smashed the lamps to enable them to carry on the guerilla warfare in darkness. Gradually the combination of police and soldiers mastered the situation. A strike of tramwaymen and Tnis drivers adds to the paralysis of the city. RAILWAYMEN STRffiE IN SYMPATHY. Received August 0, 1.45 p.m. London, August 4. Six hundred members of the Nine Elms branch of the Locomotive Engineers' and and Firemen's Union have struck in sympathy- with the police, .resulting in the restriction of the London and Southwestern Railway service.—Reuter. THE MANCHESTER POLICE. Received Aug. 8, 11.10 p.m. London, Aug. 6. A, mass meeting of the Manchester police decided not to strike.—Times. WARSHIPS TO PROTECT DOCKS. Received Aug. (5, 7.40 p.m. London, Aug. 4. A warship and two destroyers have arrived at the Mersey to protect the docks.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. I MILITARY REINFORCEMENTS AT LIVERPOOL. Received August fi, 12 p.m. London, August 5. Military reinforcement* have arrived at Liverpool, including machine-gunners aud cavalry.