The occasion was a protest handed to the Mayor of Christ-church against the exclusion of the Maoris from the 1960 rugby tour of South Africa.

Most of those taking part in the demonstration left the University around 12 o'clock and walked uptown in small bunches, passing an unusual number of alert policemen on the way.

Outside the Council Chambers the mixed crowd of students and policemen slowly swelled, watched by upwards of 100 members of the public. For perhaps 10 minutes before the deputation arrived, people just milled around, chivvied now and again by the cops. Most appeared unsure of what to do.

About 10.10 p.m. a local crank, fighting a private war against the "forest of parking meters in Christchurch," arrived in his old car, and parked right on top of a no parking sign.

The crusader bounded out of the car and zipped up the steps Into the Council's lair before C-56 and his fellow constables could stop him—cheers and noises from the crowd.

Shortly after this, the official deputation ascended the steps to the chambers, to be stopped by four policemen whose manner was noticeably brusque.