Five were killed and 53 wounded during the morning, including one woman killed by a revolver shot, and a child of 11 killed while trying to get home to lunch. Though the Sinn Feiners were outnumbered, many were armed with revolvers, while Unionists had only paving stones, rivets and kidney-shaped pavers weighing 1lb apiece piled-up ready for attack and defence. Additional troops were ordered out, and the police repeated their baton charges as the men and women workers had run the gauntlet of the street firing and baton charges. Before they reached the workshops and offices most of these were closed down and the workers returned home or joined rival mobs, thus increasing the confusion. Distressing scenes were witnessed in the Catholic quarter, many families taking advantage of a lull in the rioting to put their furniture into lorries and hand-carts and to move to quieter districts.
Tobacco supply for invalid soldiers
Sir,— kindly give me space to correct the impression conveyed by the Patriotic Society’s monthly report that Wakari Hospital is included in the comforts for soldiers tobacco list. About three months ago we received the supply of tobacco, which comprised pipe mixture, Old Judge mixture and Capstan cigarettes. I think your readers will agree that Old Judge and Capstan cigarettes are very strong for weak-chested patients. We could not smoke them and we expressed a wish through the matron for a milder form of tobacco. Evidently, if we could not smoke what they were pleased to send up, we could go without, as we have not had a supply of tobacco issued for between ten weeks and three months. If the Patriotic Society’s report is correct, and over 5000 packets were sent out, and Wakari is included, where is the share of the soldier patients at Wakari going to? I am, etc., Wakari. [Inquiries which were made from the Patriotic Association show that owing to the shortage of certain brands of tobacco the patients at Wakari could be supplied only with the kinds specified above. The men were informed through the matron that as soon as other tobaccos became available their wishes would be met, and on Monday afternoon 50 packets of Green Three Castles cigarettes and two packets of matches were sent up to the Wakari Home.— Ed.]
Damage caused by mice
An example of the depredations of the mouse was brought to light in a house in Christchurch last week. The owner of the house sent for a workman to repair a pianola which was not playing well. On examining the instrument the man found that the tapes, 88 in number, which lighten the action of the keys, had been cleanly cut and no trace of them could be found. When the keys were removed for the purpose of inserting new tapes, a mouse nest built of the old tapes was found in the centre of the keyboard. — ODT, 1.9.1920.
