RIOT AT THE GREENSTONE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 471, 27 February 1869, Page 2

RIOT AT THE GREENSTONE.

A disgraceful disturbance seems to have occurred at the Greenstone township, in the course of which two constables, Bissett and Cassion, were violently assaulted and had occasion to use their fire-arms. A reward of £SO has since been offered by the Inspector of the "Westland Police for the apprehension of the ringleaders, and an extra force of police has been sent to the spot. The following is the account of the affair given by the West Coast Times :—

A man was drinking along with a number of others in one of the publics in the township, and it appears had made himself so disagreeable to the others that a fight commenced, and a number of the fellows about attacked the man en masse. The constables hearing the row went to quell jit, and with the greatest difficulty succeeded in rescuing the man who commenced the row, and who was getting most unmercifully beaten on the ground. On the way to the station, however, with their prisoner, they were followed by a mob of about thirty, who wished to rescue the man for the purpose of giving him a further beating; but although they used threats they did not venture to attack the police until they observed another party coming in an opposite direction, evidently with the purpose of assisting them in their design. This unfortunately turned out to be their object, for when they had closed well in with the constables a most desperate melee took place. The ruffians commenced to assault the constables and their prisoner with immense stones, but they valiantly held on to their prisoner, although they were severely wounded, and one of them, Constable Cassion, dangerouslyso,ashas since appeared. Constable fc'Kenna, who is in charge of the station, hearing the noise, came to their assistance, and, seizing the prisoner, took him to the lock-up. The other constables then returned to seize the ringleaders; but were again savagely assailed with immense stones, and, to save their lives, had to resort to fire-arms, and several shots were fired, wounding some of the foremost of the crowd. This stopped the torrent, and they at once retreated. The townspeople were then coming to the assistance of the police, but arrived too late on the ground to be of service, further than assisting the wounded officers to the station. The row commenced about half-past three in the morning, when the well-conducted portion of the township were in bed. One of the stones aimed at the police was of such bulk as to smash through a weatherboard house and enter the apartment, and the officers were completely stripped of their clothes. None of the miscreants have, as yet, been secured; but the ringleaders are well-known.