FREE FIGHTS IN CENTRE OF SYDNEY

Chronicle (Levin), 3 August 1949, Page 5

FREE FIGHTS IN CENTRE OF SYDNEY

Eeceived Tuesday 7.25 p.m. SYDNEY, August 2. vioient ciasnes between watersiders and the poiice occurred in the centre ot the city this afternoon when watersiders attempted to march through the city to the Arhitration Court as a protest against the application by ship | owners for the suspension of the payment of appearance money. In Australia, watersiders receive 12> i (lailv if they attend calls and are nut j selected for work. Because of many ■ ships being laid up through lack of coal i and the closing down of industries, work is offering at present for onlv about (30 per cent of tfydney's- force of waterside workers. The shipowners have applied to the Arbitration Court for relief from the paying of appearance money to tliose men who have no chance of employment. When the application was called in Court, all watersiders ceased work and marched from the waterfront up King Street. They were led by the Communist treasurer of the Waterside Workers' Federation, Mr B. Moran, and other wellknown members of the Communist Party. A single ' poiice inspector who attempted to halt the march was . swept aside but was able to notifv headquarters. Keaching the centre of the city at the busiest time of the day, the watersiders pressed 011 to Pitt Street amid the lunch hour and shopping erowds. They were met by uniformed and plain clothes poiice who rushed from all the eitv stations. Some of the demonstrators climbed to the awning of the Liverpool Arrus hotel at the corner of Pitt and King Street, waving a red banner with the words "Miners' just claims As two men addressing the crowd from the awning, were arrested, the crowd called to the poiice "throw them off the roof. "

The arrests appeared to anger the watersiders who surged into Pitt Street and came to blows with onlookers who were cheering the poiice, Many fights occurred and bystanders were knocfled to the ground by indiscriminate blows. A young constahle who was going to the rescue of a colieague who was &emg attacked by three coatless men, Was felled hy a rabbit punch but recovered and drove olf the attackers. Poiice reinforcements linaily restored order and the demonstrators, yelling '"llands off our appearance money," broke up into small groups. 1 Many fainting women shoppers caught in the mob, were carried into uearbv shops. i Eighteen men and oue women have been charged with offences relating to 1 the disturbance.