LITHGOW RIOT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1220, 31 August 1911, Page 5

LITHGOW RIOT.

STRIKERS GET OUT OF HAND,

AN EXCITING TIME. By Telegraph-Press Associatura-Copy-ricut Sydney, August M. A special train carrying iiolico rein-' forccmcnU was sent to Lithgow last night to suppress the riots in connection with tho strike, at the ironworks. Otlier police, arc being drafted from adjoining towns. Sir. lioskiii;, proprietor of tho ironworks, his sons, and tho non-uuionist. workers were released by tlio police. There (vas no demonsh'atiou. Arrangements have been made to restart the blast furnaco. The disturbance was apparently unpremeditated. A' crowd of strikers and sympathisers, accompanied by a baud, had gathered to seo tho usual change of shifts, and tho non-unionists canio to watch tho crowd and hear tlio band. A num.ber of youths started stoning tho non-unionists, and tho crowd,then inado a rush and swept away the small forco of police, who, with tho non-unionists, retreated to tho ougine-ho'iso and barred tho doors. All tho windows vero broken. Tlie police, in. attempting to quieten tho rioters, wore struck by missiles, and thrco were rather seriously injured. Others sustained minor wounds. Meanwhile tho cro".vd went through tho free labourers' quarters ahd desrjoyed a quantity of food and furniture. They also set fire to bunks, which were afterwards thrown into a dam. Messrs. Hoskins's two motor-cars were near. Ono was damaged, but tho chauffeur managed to get away. Tho other was set on firo and destroyed. Tho blast furnaco was also shut off. It could only be restarted if the police reinforcements arrived in timo to release the imprisoned non-unionists, who at a ]ato hour, along with Mr. Hcskins and his sons, and eomo of tho staff, were still locked in tho engine-room.

Mr. Hoskins attributes tho outbreak to drunken men inciting tho crowds. THE SITUATION QUIETER. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT .£IO,OOO. Sydney, August 30. Tho presence of tho largo body of po/ice at Lithgow has had a quietening effect. Tho unionists declare, however, that this is merely a lull before the storm, as they will not remain content to see non-unionists displacing them at the ironworks. During the riot considerable damage was done. -Mr. Hoskins's valuable motorcar was saturated with petrol and burnt, a locomotive was stripped, dozens of windows were smashed, and tho blast furnace was damaged.

Tho loss is variously estimated at different fignrc?, ranging up to .£IO,OOO. Mr. Beeby, Minister for Labour, declared that tho men participating in tho riot would bo punished, but the blame was not all on one side. Mr. Hoskins had declined his suggestion to reinstate the men on tho old terms pending arbitration. A FRESH OUTBREAK. (Rec. August 31, 1.25 a.m.) . , Sydney, August 30. A fresh outbreak of rioting occurred r.t Lithgow to-night, and the police made a baton charge. Details wcro not forthcoming at tho time of cabling

GRIPPED BY SOCIALISM. HOW NEW JNJ«rSTRTES ARE ENDiscussing the strike position in Li thaw on Friday last. Mr. Wins, propri . , ( ,°/." f Australia's-first ironworks, -aid — Lithgow is n-oH- in a state of siege, and it has been taken possession of by a few "A fortnight aso," he continued, "somo of tlie men who were working for us were told that they would have to clear out of their houses, and, in fact, two men did clear out. Ihe next move was that bread, meat, and groceries were stopped, and then tho barbers were not permitted to shave or cut hair for non-unionists.-One poor non-unionist had to get his wife to cut his. hair, and after tho operation he was the most p-oculiar-lookiiig creature you ever saw.

"At present the Socialists have a committee and send for a tradesman," added Mr. Iloskins. "Ho appears before them, and they instruct him that he must not supply non-unionists. A few days ago a newsagent supplying us with newspapers intimated that he could no longer supply the papers to the ironworks. Therefore wo are sending to Sydney for a lot of goods that should bo bought in Lithgow. It is very hard on the storekeepers, as those in work are prohibited from dealing with us, and storekeepers are expected to kcop those who are not in work until after tho strike.

"One peculiar feature in tho business is that tho co-operative stores are likely to make a small fortune, as they are supplying people whom other storekeepers aro instructed not to supply."

Referring to the latter portion of the statement the manager of the Co-operative Society said to-day: "I give it an absolute denial, and I will challenge Mr. Hoskins to prove his words, or forfeit £100. We are serving shareholders of tho society only. What reason has Mr. Iloskins to bring in the Co-operativo Society at all, as he knows very well that the committee of management deals with tho whole affair."