LIVELY WHARVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 225, 22 September 1928, Page 9

LIVELY WHARVES.

WORK AND FIGHTING

One Strike Breaker Violently

Assaulted.

POLICE PROTECTION.

(Received 11.90 a.m.)

MELBOURNE, this day. Several hundred volunteeers who were engaged for wharf work were heckled at Port Melbourne wharves. One man was violently assaulted and another attacked. The police arrived and made an arrest. Nine overseas vessels are being worked. Arrangements have been made for volunteers to sleep on the wharves. Court proceedings have been instituted against the Waterside Workers' Federation for inciting their members to strike, and great interest is being taken in the proceedings, the hearing of which has not yet been concluded. Two thousand men attended the call for free labour at the Melbourne Bureau at 1 p.m. yesterday. A section outside the crowd sang 'The Red Flag" and jeered at the men who had responded readily enough to the call. There was no difficulty in securing the number required. The strike has ended at Newcastle, the men deciding yesterday by a small majority to accept the terms of the new award. The waterside workers at Adelaide maintain their attitude and are refusing to work under the new award. Free labourers were taken under police guard to work the Jeryis Bay at Port Adelaide. In parts of Queensland the deadlock continues. At Brisbane the waterside workers yesterday defied the executive of their union, who appealed to them to resume work under the new award. A mass meeting of the men decided not to accept work. As a result free labour is now being enrolled. The wool sales at Sydney have again been postponed for a week owing to the strike. It is estimated that £5,000,000 worth of wool is awaiting sale throughout Australia. WORKING A " BLACK " SHIP. (Received 2 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The watersiders are working the cargo on the Jiner Cathay, despite the ship having been declared "black" at Fremantle. DRASTIC LEGISLATION Bill To Protect Transport Workers. LABOUR PEARS MARTIAL LAW. CANBERRA, September 21. The introduction of the Transport Workers' Bill in the House of Representatives to-day was the signal for an outbreak of interruptions from the Opposition benches during the explanation of its provisions by the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce. He said it provided for the registration of all transport workers and for their protection while they' were engaged in their work; also for the continued employment of those workers after a strike. Another clause was designed to prohibit the employment of anyone in the transport industry unless he is registered.

"It is the most drastic industrial measure introduced in the Federal Parliament for years," said Mr. Bruce. "The interruptions of transport by waterside workers or seamen in the past 10 years have made Australia a byword. Great financial loss is alreadv accruing to the country as a result of the present industrial trouble. The Government does not intend that ther* should be any victimisation." The Leader of the Labour party, Mr. J. H. Scullin, said he had stood by arbitration and the observance of awards. He still did so. He had tried to bring about peace, but his efforts had been frustrated by the Government. He said he regretted that the men had not obeyed their executives, but this bill would not help matters. Really it would inaugurate industrial martial law. The debate is proceeding. LONG, BITTER DEBATE. TRANSPORT BILL PASSED. (Received 1.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, this day. The Federal House of Representatives passed the Transport Bill by 29 votes to 12 after an all-night sitting and a bitter debate, which lasted nearly nineteen hours.