THE BATTLE OF AUCKLAND. THE CUSTOMS SEIZED BY PROVINCIALISTS. AUCKLAND BOMBARDED BY THE G. P. S. LUNA. (From our Special Reporter.)

Waikato Times, Volume IX, Issue 509, 24 August 1875, Page 2

THE BATTLE OF AUCKLAND. THE CUSTOMS SEIZED BY PROVINCIALISTS. AUCKLAND BOMB ARDED BY THE G. P. S. LUNA. (From our Special Reporter.)

Oub readers have been aware for sometime past that affiirs in Auckland have been assuming nn alarming aspect. It will be r^membarerl that during the debate on the Abolition of Provinces Bill, in the General Assembly la?t jear, Sir George Grey threatened "to .right the matter out to the death," and several of the Provinciulists avowed their intention to " nail their colors to the mast." Pew of our rraders could have fordpeen that the^e comparatively harmlti* threats were co soon to be realized, or that a peaceful community would have bean thrown into a stule of civil warfare, with all the horrors of bloodshed. For aow. a , time past the "Auckland .Evening Star" had been publishing articles ca'ling upon tho pe *»j 1 to take u 1 arms in defence of Provmoislia n . On tha 10th of August liict. the "Stir jui'l " We venture to say tuore are few of th >se ban 1> which waved hurrahs ol' coustitut.onal resutanre to the Government, but <«uld be persuaded ta wave if need be a cutlass or h brand. Men of Auckland ! there miy bo stirring tun--? ah^nd. So tr*i>t in God, and keep jour povr.ler dry" In another issuo of the sume journal, it was stated : — '" We do not hesitate to say that th-ro could be rallied in Auckland a thousand men, armed and ready for the dofrnoe of the Constitution, and who would resist feo tlie death the revolutionists that attempt to violenlly rend in tw.-iin the Constilution of a free people. We sirti 1 regret if tlie necessity arrives, but if thvj passing of the Abolition Bill 13 foil >wed by t l ie loHung of the doors of our Custom-house, the thrjwingopen of every bonded store, aid Iho t-cuttling of fche Ringleader, we cm afF>rJ to le! the l3k>v>rnment o'onrs flutter at the mast-head. With Auckland a free port, and with u thousand or sj of armed citizeus ready to muster at bug'e call, wo can pa ; sively mdure threatening "fighting to the bitter end." Thse ar'ielea proJuced a most extraordinary effect upon the people. A band of Provincialise, headed by Gearge Stainea, ani o'h-»ra, went from place to place barauguing the people, and resolutions wore passed by picked meetings protest in? against the Abolition o[ the Prmincial Institutions. But in spite of all this the Government, backed by the whole strength of the country districts, passed the Abolition Bill, which cime into operation in November last. Imme diately several thousands of Provincial officials were thrown out of employment. These, however, formed themselves into an r armed band, aud having barricaded "the doors and windows of the Superintendent's office, refused to vacate. Inspector Broham was at once, despatched with two constables to quell the rioters- On demanding an entrance, he was received with loud cries of " Down with th<j peelers," followed by a terrific volley of ponde-ous blue books, and rolls of vouchers for unpaid salaries. Despite the most unexampled heroism, the pjlice were forced to bo-it a retreat. Simultaneously a band of provincialists, commanded by Gejr^e Siaines, Sin ly Blick, and B.lly Swanson, proceeded to the Uustcm-house. headed by the Hobson Btr et band, and though Mr Rose made the most desperate effots to defend the premises, the mob s. cured possession and proceeded to place a staff of armed men in charge. Meantime, the prisoners in Mount Eden hid broken out into ope') revolt, and overpowered Gjvernor Eyre and the warders. The Bonded Stores were seized, casks of rum were opened, and thrir contents set flowing along the gutters, an immense crowd of " wlnskey loafers " rushing out of the ho'eh, and helping themselves with pannikins, and such other utensils as they could lay hand 9 on. 'lhe banks and all the business' houses were closed, but a mob proceeded to tha ihop of Mr D. Evitfc, Queen Street, and took away all the guns and lives; and the magazine at Mount Eden was. backtd about the same time. The Po3t Office was also entered by the rioters, aud Mr Bus, and lu'3 staff wore compelled to retreat. About uoon a band of lunatics, who bad escaped from the Wbau Asylum, rushed down Queea dfcrcet, oroiting the utmost consternation, while the escaped prisoners from Mount Eden commence d a ruid upon tbe jeweller shops. Even the hune, the halt and the bliu.l, overpower.-d Dr I'hilson ai.d the nurses, and hobbled down Graftin Koad to mingle in the frtiy. Unfortunately iha men-o'-war were absent, And emboldened by this fact, a rrowd of loafers on the whurf seized the watermens' boat", and scuttled the revenue cutter ltingleader, the master and crew being killed and thrown overboard in the malee. Towards tho afternoon the riot had reached its height. The Miyor, Mr Prime, harangued the crowd from a window in tha City Council Chxmber ; W. J. Hurst rode about the streets on horseback, dressed in complete armour except the h.-hnet, for which ho had been obliged to Bubsti ute a . ordinary tin-basin ; Mr Keed of tha "Star'' was animating his followers, by flourishing aloft an immense pair of scusors. Mr 1). M Luckie was compelel to bv-af a precipitate retreat to tho Mercer Riulw^y Mation. Towards tho evenhg, Dp Po cv Tentured to oddress tho mob, but hs was set upon by a crowd of Prorincialistf, aud only Oi»ni lived to fscupo with the lobs of his coat-tai)« and hi a "beli-ni.pper," thn battered romunnts of which ware subaequmUy utucl uuon u pole with ! Hip insM'intmn.

In the audit of these ecenesofdirß confuida'. loud oboprs «ere heard, and George Joofß jur.r., cloeo.y followed by John Bent, were descried rushing down Shortiand St wet— echoing the shouts of the mob. The "Herald" was protected by » &nd< and Mr Brett stood at the door ot |]» "W oflUwih a wampum belt in which were exh.b^a Nerila Walker's front tooth Hie horn o f» Kollicking Ram," and trophies th if. R «f n at V? iOnR - lhe following, after £t battle %! JW 8u" ' n S of ** ul b «^ e * ■ H^o a ta iS&S OI^* 118 ° Gnt^ -word rierce me in leading the Provincial horde Heedn.tmyeorse, but continue the rot' And bury my bones in the Isle of KaVau ' *- t^gtZl™ UPtdd Ge ° r^ Stain^, Wh# Oh, Georgy, I am tired, now I care no more to hear you sing ; I ye made this day a jolly row, I m sure the mob has had ita fling. 1 m tired now, and slee py too, And, Georgy, well the crowd I've led, And now I leav e the rest to you, s £ Put me ia my httle bed, Mr Ikes kere got ou a carfc, and flourishing % lar^e brief, sang — 6 Oh, I am the pride of lawyers, Grey, And m the Coatsa ts I take my pay I stump the country, and have my say, So nix my dolly puls, fake away 1 A stir iv the crowd, and a cry of " Make way there for the Mayor," ushered In his Wor d hip, who eang in a lone drawling tone : — Joseph Prime is my name, So/ne people call me Joe; I a'int much up to singing rhyme, But an awful chap to blow. (Chorus by the crowd)— Not for Joe, oh, dear no, s Not for Joseph, if he knows it, &c. Here George Jones jun , rushed in with a bundle of papers, slioufcmg « Echo, price one penny." but was immediately bonnetlei by H. Brett, who sang in a deep l>ass voice • — Beautiful " Star" in Wyndhani-street, ooftly ba«ls in fones so sweet, Runners around us near and f*r, '•Star of the evening, Beautiful Star." Captain Casey immediately took up the refrain in a falsetto key, thu-*ly : Twinkle, twinkle, little Star, How I wonder what you are. At this moment, the Go p.s. Luna was seen rounding the Nonh Head, and Captain Fiiirehild callei upon the ciowd through a speaking trumpet to surrender. Jai S. hew struck up the following ditty:--Scots wha hae wi George Staines bled, Scots wham Grey has often led, Welcome tee your gory bed, Or tv rictoree-e-e. But a shot from the ron-ounrer bow-gun of the Luna knocked off the Mayor's spactasles, and amid#t a scene of the wildest confusion" an i excitement, Sir George Grey, and the rear, we,e seen skedaddling np Queen Street, th -ir coat-tails flying in the wind, the cro«rd singing : " Home, sweet homu." And at the sau,e moment a broadside from tha five ounoer guns of t>ie Lud«, whizzed through the air, while the Cambridge C.V. and a troop of the Hamilton Volunteer Crushers gillopped down Shortiand Street, attaekiag the crowd in the rear, lhe day was thus completely won, and the Centralists remained in powession of tha public houses. {Vide Te Kuiti Buster t Feb. 31st, '876.]