SERIOUS RIOT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1919, Page 5

SERIOUS RIOT.

UPROAR AT CHRISTCHURCH. PREMIER'S MEETING BROKEN UP. j , CROWD CHARGE THE HALL By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchureh, Last Night. In response to a request of the Mayor of Christchureh (Dr. Tlmcker, MP.), the Premier arrived in Christchiiroh this evening with the intention of delivering a political address iu the Colosseum, one of the largest halls in the city. This building can safely hold about 4000 persons. The meeting was to commence at 8 o'clock, and it was advertised that ladies with escorts would he given the privilege of admittance. By 7 o'clock the ordinary seating accommodation of the Colosseum* was occupied and the doors were closed. For 'the next hour queues were heavily congested, and there began an insistent clamor for admittance. Mr. Masscy, with the 'Mayor dnd others, arrived at 7.45, the Premier being received with cheers and counter demonstrations both from inside and outside. The Colosseum entrance facing Gloucester Street was !the scene of great excitement by 7.40, with men struggling ito approach the Idoora and scores of people ventilating j personal grievances or political convictions.

An enterprising section of young men had climbed up to the corrugated roof and proceeded to storm the skylights. The police were powerless in sucha huge crowd. The tinkling of broken glass was mingled with cheers and hoots from hundreds of voices. There was not seating accommodation left for anybody in the building by 7.45, and as there was a large percentage of ladies present, "the exceptionally large posse of police on special duty would not tnen allow any more people to enter. (Jnder these circumstances it was seen it would be unwise to continue with the meeting, because in the event of anyone being overcome by the atmosphere it would [have been almost impossible to reach the exits. Mr. Massey was doubtful about proceeding with the meeting owrag to the density and excitement of the audience, but the Mayor advised him to jhang on. > Just 83 the Mayor proceeded to open the meeting a determined stora was set up by a section of those locked out on i a fire escape, and the chairman's remarks were inaudible, because of the great din. set up by the battering rams of the stormers. Dr. Thacker was heard to »sk for British fair play. "Give the Premier of the country a fair hearing," he asked. He regretted Christchurch did not have a large enough hall to accommodate ithe huge crowd which desired to heat the Leader of the Government speak in Christchurch. After the chairman's remarks, Mr. Massey briefly conferred with him and then rose to speak. He had hardly expressed his pleasure at seeing such a huge crowd when his voice was drowned by the united effort of the I battering rams on the side doors, and j- these giving way, hundreds of men poured into the already overpacked hall like the Niagara Falls. It was estimated that there were between six ana seven thousand people in the hall. A police official was noticed fighting his way to the platform, when the Mayor stood up and announced above the tumult that the meeting could not be held in the Colosseum on account of overcrowding, but Mr. Massey would give an address at the Band Rotunda in Victoria Square. There Was then a rush for the exits by electors desiring to gain vantage points. Those who got there were regaled by a brass band giving an open-air concert. Meanwhile, Mr. Massey and others were fighting their way to the ante-rooms behind the platform. Mr. Massey remained in an ante-room until the congestion was removed, and then he went to his hotel.

Interviewed after, the Mayor said he was very sorry for what occurred, but it proved the need for Christchurch having a Town Hall which could accommodate a vast number on such an occasion. Interviewed late to-night, Mr. Massey said the hall was uncomfortably crowded from the outset and the trouble commenced when a number of men, several hundred strong, who were outside, burst open the door ftnd gained an entrance. Owing to the inrush of these men the hall became seriously overcrowded, and it was apparent it would be quite impossible to go on with his address. , He did not care to comment on what took place, except to say that if the right of free speech was to be enforced in circumstances which had prevailed on several occasions during this election then it was a case of good-bye to the liberty and freedom of which we had been so proud in the past. He felt certain it was only a passing phase and he was sorry he could not come back to Christchurch to speak.