The London Strike

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 41, 19 September 1889, Page 2

The London Strike

STRIKERS ATTACK ;" BLA.OKLE GS T POLICE PROTECTION. APPLIED FOlt. By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. (I'KR UAITETJ PRESS ASSOCIATION.) London, September 16. -. The strikers who have been reengaged are, contrary to the guarantee given, molesting the blacklegs engaged by tho Dock Companies, especially those at the Surrey aud Albert Docks. Many of the blacklegs were, stoned and ducked. . - The Mansion House Comu'itttee and Mr Burns had a conference, at which it; was agreed to use influence to obtain a rigid observance o£ the terms of the agreement. - Many of the strikers repudiate the right of their leaders to pledge them to riu amicable treatment of the blacklegs. Mr Burns, in addressing the men, advised a patient policy, and he threatened, if the Dock. Companies violated the agreement, to organise another strike, which would paralyse the trade of London. " It is reported that the object of Mr Burns' visit to Australia is to organise in the colonies the preliminaries of a atrike on a more extensive scale. There is general depression in business circles. With regaid to the future, it is stated that the rail.vay employes are organising a strike for ten arid a half hours' labour. The strikers complain that many of the Dock officials are treating them vindictively and unfairly, September 17." The strikers continue to molest the " blacklegs," and to-day 250 of the latter were chased from shed to shed at the Albert' Docks, and'were'finally being penned m, but a posse of 'police prevented actual violence taking place although the agressors numbered one thousand. In consequence of this disturbance, a deputation from the directors of the Dock Conapanie's waited on Mr J. Mouro, C.8., Chief Commissioner of Police,- requesting him to disperse the rioters. Mr Munro declined to take action, on the ground that his subordinates had reported that matters were going on smoothly as could possibly be expected. The molesting has occurred at other docks as well as at the Albert, but the di t irbf>i'B (.f the pc a were promptly marched off. It is b iieved that loafer.*, and not genuine dock hands, are responsible for the outrages. At one of the docks, 30 blacklegs, who -were hotly pursued' by 150 strikers, narrowly escaped being killed by the dock engine. Many of the blacklegs are terrified at the hostile ; action of the strikers and have abandoned their work. , •. September 18. Two thousand fresh men -from the provinces are already oompetiag for work at the Docks. The leaders of the strikers are using erery endeavour to induce the men to adhere to the terms agreed on between them and the Dock Companies, .