THE POLICE STRIKE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3358, 10 July 1890, Page 2

THE POLICE STRIKE.

' -Tho :<]: TheStrilW ;''' ' London, July 1 7. '■•' " The police who suspended 5, allege that they only hcsitaMdj and *"■ finally' went on duty. Sir Edward Bradford personally' inquired info the ' charges, and of tbemep. ~: A crowd; of thousands, mostly roughs, assembled and blocked Bow. street,'interfering with the ingress to Covent Garden £Theatro;, Vrheni^iho>f Prince of Wales' was present. 'The""' s ' mounted police occasionally charged, : . : the" pavement jand roadway,booking ]"'■ many persons' down. ;.'";.:,-.;'• . A squadroa of Life Giiardais patrolling the streets.'"" The crowd cheer th 6 soldiers and constables, but hiss the police officers and pelt them with flour and stones.'

The city police ami most of the Metropolitan Force are on duty, hut 1000 more threaten to Btrike in the morning,

The Prince of Wales was cheered on learing the theatre, Oning to the iocreasing rowdyness of the .roughs additional Guards had to be Bummonod, A have been broken, and one hotel is .partially wrecked. At 1 o'clock

heavy rainfellandthoorowddißpersod. Many of the dorks are en aged guarding the banks and rich stores. Strong reservesof police have been stationed at various points, but at present it is all' quiet.

Sir Edward Bradford has ordered the dismissal of all insubordinates in the ranks of the police. " The situation is regarded as critioal and the places of the men dismissed are being rapidly filled by recruits. ' 'Tho military specials are being drilled in tbe performance of police duty, and their services will be utilised in the event ot a strike.. '■ In the House of Commons to-day MrH, Matthnws, Home Secretary, said that all precautions had been taken in case of a strike.

, July 8. With few exceptions all the police aroon duty. The police constables who are dismissed addressed a meeting in Bow-street in the afternoon. Some of the speakers urged violent resistance to orders, but there was an evident want of union, and the elder members of the force; weraireluotant to face dismissal,

Large; numbers of policemen in plain clothes incited a crowd of 5000 rowdies in the evening, and the oonduct of the mob waß strongly intimidativo uutil the Guards arrived. The mob oried " Vive la Anarchy" and • sang the ■'" Marseillaise,". Flower-. pots, orodkery, bottles,' rotten; vegetables and pitchers of water ware thrown at the police officers. The Sooialists wero active in urging tho soldiery to Bide with the people, Many of ( the mob resisted the efforts of the troopers to maintain order, and tried to cut the reins,, of their horses, The; foot constables were of litte assistance, arid it was apparent their sympathy was'with their com« rades. The Southwark Reserves have replaced the mutinous members of Bow-street.*

Tho police striko has collapsed, and tho men have resumed their duties unconditionally.. There is no disorder in the streets, .and the crowd is dwindling away. The military has been withdrawn!

It has now transpired that the constables at Bow-street refusoi to fall in for parade, but ultimately the majority agreed to proceed, on their', beats. The majority forcibly endeavoured to prevent theia from doinj so, and several scrimmages was the result. Constables from other' districts ! aw' filling the'places of the men out on strike. •■ •■■■" : ■-'- : '■■'■■

- The mob in the streets was dispersed by the Life Guards. : ' Under tho influence of the older men, tho police reserves maintained their loyalty, and the agitation is; settlingdown, .Many of the'i'ribters'; 'will, be prosecuted, inoluding John Williams, socialist.