Strikers And Police Clash In Brisbane

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1948, Page 5

Strikers And Police Clash In Brisbane

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter

, CopyrighiJ

Receivctl Wednesday 8.30 p.m. BRISBAiVM, March -17. Police armed with batons and strikers usiiig their fists and heavy ,)illets of wood l'onght a fierce 15minute battle in the heart of the eity this morning'. The condjtio.i of .the Communist parliameiitarian (Mr. F. Paterson), who was one oi two demonstrators taken to hospital, is serious. iie has brain inJnry and a possible fracture of ihe skulJ and seveie lacerations to the scalp. - The march began after a meeting at Ti'ades IialJ. Most.of the placards cai'ried by the niarchevs wei'-e on gi'een cardboard in hon-! our of Saint Patrick's Day. • Thej ■"police called for reinforeements1 fi'om Ipswich 25 miles away. | The police, said to number 300, j laid an amlmsh at a point neari Trades Hall where the road nar-| rows over the raiiwav bridge. Thej mareliers stopped for a liioment | but next instant the road was a 1 niass of struggling figures. . i Some of the marchers wei'e J caught against the ovei-head; liridge rail and disarmed hntl foughf baek yelling 1£Fascists5C and "They call this a free couii- j try. " The police seized tlie plac-j ards and drove the marchers back i towai-ds Trades Hall" u'liere ihe; battle raged. Deteclives drew short hatons;: others l'ought with their fists, and ; ooth the marchers and police used j oroken wooden placai-d handles. \ flien uniformed poi ice rein force- j ments poured down fi'om the bar ! racks nearby, cul off both ends ol'l the slreet and finally shepherded I ihe denionstrators back to Trades Hall. ( The dishevelled marchers shoub 1 ed abuse at the police and sang.j "It's a Creat Day for the Jrish' i and " Advance Australia Pair"v j ' :A sequel occurredMatei". today i when fiwe meii idppeared bel'oia Ihe Police Cotirt clmrged with taking part in an unlawl'ul proccs:sion.' They were Michael .,11 cyily . aged 41, secretary oi the Brisbane Trades and Iiabour Council ; i\Iax | lYordau Julius, aged 32, barrister;! Basil ClilTbrd Tippett, aged' 31, . wat e-rsid er. ; Sv d-ne-y^H erbert Boyd t j aged 30, watersider; and Ixobert Myles, filtci'. All Tvcre remanded, ' bail b'eing allowed. * j The detective inspector said hel was instrucfed to press for airj early hearing as a very uglv situ-! ation developed and there was : opcn defiance on the pai't of Healyj and others to law and ordeT.. ' j When charged llealv said: £] i plead not guilly and 1 draw atten- , tion to the faet that wliat I did | this morning I did from thej dietates of mv own heart.' ' - j Jidius read a statement that hel and Paterson went from Trades' Ilall as observcrs and for the pur- j l>ose of giving legal assistance.! "i saw an al)solutely vicious and I illegal attack with batons by j numerous ])1 niu clothes members j of'the police force on people walk-J ing peacel'ully down Edward Street/' he added. "I observed a detective whosc name 1 know make an absolutoly unwarranted atlaek from beliind 'on Patei'son

9 by hitting him on the head with a baton with terrible force."