THE FIRST SHOTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1922, Page 5

THE FIRST SHOTS.

FIGHTING IN VILLAGES, WIDESPREAD OUTBREAKS. MANY CASUALTIES. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright, Received March 11, 5.5 pan. Capetown, March 10. A Johannesburg message says a report from Benoni states that firing commenced early in the morning round the Workers’ Hall, and several casualties occurred on both sides and also among spectators. Foot police advanced up several streets. Firing , also occurred •on a plantation near a lake on the outskirts of the town, and continued for two hours, ambulances being busy. At nine o’clock aeroplanes arrived, scouted in various directions, and fired warning flares. They were greeted by scattered shots. Three machines circled over the Workers’ Hall and one over the lake. Sniping being continued, there was a rattling fire of Lewis guns from the aeroplanes, which had a quietening effect. Protests are arriving from native bodies in all parts of the Union protesting against atttacks by strikers on the native Rand. Several strike leaders, including members of the federation executive, have been arrested. The Durban Light Infantry has left Durban for an unknown destination, presumably the strike area, while Capetown regiments and the defence force have been warned to be in readiness. The death roll on the Government side now amounts to 25.

Ibis morning’s attack was the result of a pre-arranged plan for an attack on the police and mine officials, some of whom were murdered in cold blood. A signal for the risings was given by explosions all along the reef. Brakpan is already virtually in the hands of the strikers. The Benoni strikers mobilised under pretence of a native rising. It was expected the post office and court house would be attacked, but the strikers were beaten off. The strikers are apparently well armed with rifles and machine guns, and are installed in the Workers’ Hall. News has confirmed that the Brodigan mine manager and six other special constables were killed in an attack on the mine guard. A later message says the police have taken possession of the Town Hall and the Trades Hall, the martial law proclamation being received with much satisfaction.

Fighting took place at Fordsburg, and it is reported a policeman was killed and four wounded, while twelve strikers were wounded. Fighting is also reported in Newlands, a native township near Johannesburg. Strikers captured twentyseven police and threatened to shoot them if other police surrounded them. A military captain in an aeroplane is reported shot in the Benoni fighting, but the pilot and the machine escaped. Stringent martial law regulations have been published, including the censorship of post and telegraphs and the prohibition of picketing.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A GRAPHIC STORY. FIERCE STREET FIGHTING. CIVILIANS KILLED. Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, March 11. Reuter’s Capetown correspondent, describing the earlier fighting, says Benoni was awakened by an exchange of shots in the market square. Then there was fierce street fighting, in which sightseers mixed up, for, despite warnings, thousands of spectators flocked wherever there was trouble. For two hours from Market Square to the Workers’ Hall was a war area. Every now and then a bullet found a billet, and people in the crowd dropped 'killed or wounded. Ambulances pluckily carried on their work. Meantime the Workers Hall was strengthening its defences with sandbags while it kept up a fusilade. It is alleged the trouble started by strikers potting at a police cyclist detachment, wounding a native constable. Then new fighting broke out north-east of Johannesburg, the Putfontein commando firing across the lake on the police, and the Fordsburg commando started an attack in the town itself. Fighting continued during the night, but the crowds were cleared, no one being allowed in the streets.

Reports of casualties are conflicting. It is understood nineteen police and thirty civilians were killed and eighteen police and twenty-one civilians wounded. Another report states that when the Transvaal Scottish were ambushed at Benoni eighteen of them were killed and twenty-five wounded. The heaviest loss was due to attempts to assist stricken comrades. Reinforcements extricated those ambushed from their desperate position. Lieutenant V. Brodgan, and not the mine manager, as previously reported, was killed at Brakpan. Latest reports state that the commandos from the central area are concentrating, apparently with a view to taking possession of Johannesburg before the burghers, under Generals Britz and De Venter, can arrive with reinforcements. The strikers burned the Fordsburg police station. Details of yesterday’s engagement at Benoni between strikers and the Transvaal Scottish Regiment show that four were killed and nineteen wounded. —Reuter Service. NATIONALISTS SUPPORT GOVERNMENT. Capetown, March 10. In the course of a statement in the Assembly, General Smuts said the Government was most reluctant to declare martial law, but the situation was so grave that it had no choice. Fighting was raging over a large part of the Rand, with heavy casualties. The House and the country must be prepared for bloodshed on a scale not anticipated before. Their duty was to see the business through and not to allow the country to fall into a sate of anarchy. The attack was begun in regular fighting style, as if it was war. The railways were practically in abeyance, railwaymen having pulled out from their duties. Women and children were maltreated. The natives were in a state of turmoil. He emphasised that the natives offered not the least provocation. AM statements to the contrary were incorrect.

General Smuts appealed to the House and the country to support the Government in re-establishing public authority. The burghers have been called upon to come to the Government’s aid. There is no doubt, whatever their political feelings, but that they will respond and ataud by the Government.