More Trouble On Brisbane Waterfront

Chronicle (Levin), 7 August 1948, Page 5

More Trouble On Brisbane Waterfront

Reuter

(N.Z.P.A. —

, Copyribht)

SYDNEY, August G. Ti'.e Seamen's Union has decided to juace a ban on all Queensland ports f.s a protest against the gaolmg of three Brisbane Conimunists for famire to pay fines ineurred under the Queensland anti-picketing law. Tlie ban was iinnosed followin£r ois-

( ussions by telephone between the Federal secretary of the Seamen's l.'nioii (Mr. E. V. Elliott) and other niembers f.t the executive. Union niembers wib be instructed today not to man ships carrying cargoes to or from Queensland. Brisbane 's 1700 watersiders art holding a stopwork meeting today to discuss action, and the secretary of tlie Australian Comniunist Party haa arrived in Brisbane, though he maintabis his visit is not connectod with the arrests. The Waterside Workers' Federation kas asked the striking watersiders to 1 Oi urn to work pending a replv to the. rv> piest to the Premier (Mr. Hanlon). to release the nien and c'ancel the lines," but local pressure may override this ruling. Two waterside workers, C. Graliam and J. Esler, were taken" to gaol todav for not paying tlie lines, imposed for. picketing otl'enees during the recenl rail strike. Detectives arrested both nien on warrants of eomniitment. Esler had spent the night at Graliam 's home pl-obably in anticipation of his arrest. The Brisbane watersiders who had stopped work in protest against the previous arrests decided at a mass meeting to refurn to work this after110011 and to leave any. decxsions in the hands of the Watersidfe Workers' Federatiofi.