Mr. Semple and Bash Gang Tactics

Chronicle (Levin), 25 March 1948, Page 2

Mr. Semple and Bash Gang Tactics

WELLINGTON, Marcli 24. (Jabled details of the activities oi Comnmnists in Qucensland supporting Iiih recent statemeiit on tlio industrial position there liave been received bv the" Minister of Avorka (Hon. R. Semple) from the Premicr of Queensland (Mr. E. M. Hanlon). • Mr. Scmple's atate inents wero challeiiged by Mr. fPi Ilealy, •seoretary of .the AustraJiaii Waterside iVorhera LEederation, and his statemeni vtliltt "the bash gang" was operating m •Queensland was particularly objccted to. Today, hlr. Semple said, lie had dis- ' j^.t.ehed the follpwing cable to Mr. Hanloii!: "It has been denifed by the C'ommunist Party of Australia. th^ough the New Zealand Waterside ■ Workers' Union that physieal violenee oecurred dtiring tlie Queensland strike beforc the introdiiction of the anti-picket law. 'Whilst in Australia I gathered the impfession from the newspapers that folJoWing the unfavourable decision' to the sinkers fesulthig from the ballot taken by men who were concerned with pelrol for the plancs, some of the ijiojisympaLliiaers were manliandled either inside or outside • tlie Trades Hali, Brisbane. 1 was uudef the impression that youi1 anti-piekct laws were to proteet men wlio went to work against violenee of thfeateued violenee. I shaU be gra'teful if you will conillju my stateihent." The following reply has been received: " Before the new industrial law was introdueed a nian named Ross was charged with the iudictable olTencc of assauit and occasioning bodily hartii upon one Tippet. Tippet was a membe.'of the Storemen and Paeke rs ' Union and the oll'ence oecurred in the corri dor of Trades Hall inimediately l'ollow ing a meeting of .the members of that union employed by Tippet 's employers. ''Moreover, before the aet was intro diiced liomes were being a'isited be tweeu midnight and morning and the wives of workers tcrrorised by -threats of aa hat would liappen to their husbauds if ,thc latter returned to work. '. Also bel'ore the Aet was passed a deputation of threc well-known Uommunists waitod on, a proniment alderinan of the Brisbane Oitv Uouneil who had advised the workers against taking part in the strike. This deiiuLation tohi hhn in the interests of his own health to keep out of it. "1 would point.out that picketing in relation to a! lawfu! strike is- -still perinissible. LTnder the new Ihav wheii tho Industrial Court has ofdered strikers td resume work any attempt to prevent workers obeying the court order by picketing or other means is unilawful. A copy of the new Act has . been posted to you by airmail." "This cable speaks i'or itself, " de elared Mr. Semple. The faets were that when the Communists succeeded iij isolating Queensland, woinen and children were hungry- in luany lowns there. Mr. Hanlon had telephoned Mr. Ohifley asking for aifcral't and petro! to fly# food to the hungry people.. Tho Uommunists endeavoured at puce to get tlrf men serving the planes that had' to be fefuelled bl Queensland to go on strike in sympathy witli tlie ua Aftet some pressure' a ballot was held and tlie men decided that notwithstanding iy.timidation tliey would serviee and re/ fuel the. planes to supply food to tlie • hungry people. Tt was these nien . N wives wlio were tefrorised and the meu themselves manliandled and threatened, said Mr. Semple. "I think. this eabled reply nustilies any statemeiit I niady. on the industrial position i n Queensland. '