RIOT AT WINCHESTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9150, 24 July 1908, Page 3

RIOT AT WINCHESTER.

MILITARY SUMMONED.

Winchester—that ancient cityflf much historic interest—was in a state tof extraordnary tumult on Monday evening, May 25th, the town for some houra being practically in charge of a frenzied mob, says a London paper. The trouble arose over an apparently trivial matter. The Town Council recently decided to remove certain railing's surrounding a Russian gun, which lias stood in the Broadway ever since the Crimean war; this gun has been the pride of the city for a number of years. Immadiately the railings were removed an indignation meeting was organised, the crowd marched to the house of the Mayor, and began to break his windows. Each minute the infuriated inhabitants became more riotous, and in the progress through the streets they wantonly smashed all the street lamps visible; windows of private houses and shops were also "dealt with in the same wholesale manner. Then the cry went up, "Lei's go to Wolvesey"—the scene of t'ifj coming pageant; there they did all the mischief they could. The neit rnjve was to the gun itself, which was thrown from its carriage an 1 the latter used as a triumphal cir to draw the .'.eaders of the distil 'bancs through the streets. As Una went on, the crowd became still more furious, and at length tie military were sent for. The M.iyor managed to find his way to the top of the Guildhall steps, and, after much effort, he was able to convey to t ie disturbed pejnle that the Council wjul.l replace the railing round the gau. After a whil; the I'act tnat this concession had been made was grasped, and by degrees the mob dispersed. But old Winchester shows signs eve tywhere of the desperate — broken windjws and lamps are to bi seen in all the streets, while the great statue of King Alfred is tottering on its rganite base. It will cost a pretty pcmy to repair al! the damage.