UPROAR ON THE WHARF

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1953, 9 January 1914, Page 6

UPROAR ON THE WHARF

"RED FEDS." AGAINj

STORMY MEETING OF WATERSIDERS.

X shed on the Queen's Wliarf, tho scene of many rowdy meetings of old watersido workers, was again the scene of uproar at tho lunch hour yesterday. All |tho trouble was caused by exstrikers, and at times tho position of affairs looked serious.

A meeting of tho Wliarf Labourers' Union had been called for 12.30 p.m. in the "Donkey Room," tho main object of which, was to pass certain resolutions authorising. tho president and secretary to operate tho banking account of the new union. The shed has been closed since the last fracas and consequently long before the appointed time a considerable number of men had congregated outside. There were a few police officers present and the crowd was orderly. A few minutes before the appointed time of the meeting someone, in tho absence of any of tho executive officers, opened tho doors. The result was that ihoro was a blind rush for the waiting room. There Mas no one at the doors to see that fi-y nancial members of the union only should gain admittanco and the result Wits that the big room was half filled with from 700 to 800 men, some of whom wero reported not to bo mem-' bers of tho union at all. - Executive Arrive Amidst Uproar. . A fow minutes later members of tho executive arrived, and this was the signal for a disturbance. A certain section of tho crowd hooted and groaned. It was quite evident that the executive wero taken completely by surprise ■ and-on tho question: "Who opened the ' doors?" being asked, there was no response, The suggestion was; then' made that tho room be cleared and the members of tho union allowed to enter on production of their books. It was draw- ! ing near to 1 p.m., however, and it was thought that the operation would have taken up too much 'time. Rowdy Element Prominent. 'After a (hurried consultation th!e executive -officers entered tho room'and as soon as the president (Mr. J. Shanly) mounted tho platform, a, section of the crowd made a hostile demonstration; ■ It was noticed that certain,men who were more rowdy than their fellows, wero . wearing the • distinctive ■badge of tho Red Federation. After two or tliree unsuccessful attempts to speak Mr. Shanly managed to. make •himself heard above the din. Ho said Hhat on. account of tho executive not knowing who in the room were financial members of tho union and who N were not there was no other course open to him hut to adjourn the meeting sine die. Tho 'announcement was received with hoots and groans, and these wero continued till the executive left the room. Other Speakers Take a Hand. '' The next speaker was Mr. Kennedy, late president of the Trades and Labour Council. ,He told the men that they had every right to call a special meeting and it would bo done by petition. The speaker told the rowdy element not to ''lose their heads," but | to wait patiently and see .'what would ' be 'done in connection with the matter.

•Mr. F. Curtice, president of tlir, late Waterside Workers' Union also spoke. He was receivedwith cheers from all parts of tlio building. Mr. Curtice said, 111 answer to, an interjection, that the president of ill© now (union was constitutionally within his rights in adjourning the meeting, and he instanced several times when, as president of the old union, he had doii9 the same thing; He ndvised tho mon to keep quiet at all future meetings and give speakers a fair hearing. , The speaker asked the men to leave the room in ail orderly manner and return to their work at 1 p.m. In con-; elusion, he said that a special meeting of the union would be held at a later *late when many things, would be considered: Signing the Petition. When the speeches had ended the bull: of' the men left the room. _ Mr. Kennedy then prepared a petition calling upon the executive to hold a special meeting in accordance with By-law 20, Section (a), as contained in the union's book of rules. Despite the fact that there were some peven or <>ight policemen ill the room, much "language" could be heard, but it was extremely difficult to detect thu offenders in the crowd. Strong exception' was taken in certain quarters to tlio presence of the police. • It is understood that the special meeting will bo held next Monday, . Executive's Official Statement. The following js the official statement issued by the executive of the union:— "In tlio first place the meeting was Advertised for 12.3,0 p.m., and, the X shed being closed, the executive applied to the Harbour Board for permission to bold the meeting there. This permission' was granted.by tlio, board, with the pro-viso-that order was maintained and that no damage.was done; . The pxecutiye arrived at 12.23 p.m. with the full iriten■f.ion of admitting members to the meeting, hut were surprised to find that some person, without the authority of the cx- « utive, bad seen fit to open up the room' find to permit all and sundry to enter without .in any way showing .or proving whether of not they .were'members'of the union. When tho executive entered the room there were 600 or 700 men already congregated there, and it was quite apparent that, a number of them were not members of the union; in fact, many firemen off the steamers were present. Tho executive, then had a. consultation and decided in. tho circumstances to adjourn, and this intention was announced in- the president amid groans and cheers. The executive was clearly within its rights in taking this step, for as soon as the officials entered the room it was apparent that a hostile crowd had assembled. and that tho men were out of band. Further, it would have been a -.distinct breach of tho guarantee to the — 1 -Harbour Board that order would be maintained."