RAROTONGA RIOTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1919, Page 12

RAROTONGA RIOTS.

SOLDIERS OUT OF HAND Some account of the recent riots at Rarotonga is given in the annual report of the Resident Commissioner. Unfortunately a number of the returned soldiers spoiled their otherwise excellent record by nets of violence and crime. On Saturday night, March 7, ten or twelve of the men entered ft teashop and smashed up the furniture and crockery and looted the premises. On the following night, (Sunday) a crowd of about seventy men, nearly all returned soldiers, attacked one of the largest stores on the island. They burst open the doors and windows, smashed the shop-fittings, and looted or destroyed the contents. The same night they attacked and looted another store. They announced their intention of looting the remaining stores and the spirit bond. "For twenty-four hours the settlement was at the mercy of the rioters. By Monday night, March 9, however, we had formed a strong body of native special constables, a number of the better-be-haved soldiers had placed themselves under their officers, and practically every white man on the island had offered his services and was sworn in as a special constable. This force was disposed for the protection of the Government buildings, the stores, the gaol, and, later, for the suppression of disorder in the outlying settlements. We had a most trying fortnight until the danger of further outbreaks was past. A special session of the High Court dealt with various charges arising out of the riots against twenty alleged offenders, of whom twelve were convicted and sentenced. There is no doubt that this prompt vindication of the law did a great deal to bring the men to their senses. "The causes of the outbreak were drink, the apparent absence of any force that could restrain the men, and the alleged grievances of the soldiers against th-s traders. At Rarotonga the returned soldiers have now quite settled down as law-abiding citizens. In the outlying islands some of the soldiers have made threats of violence towards the traders, but there has been no breach of the «ieace'