JAILING OF THREE BRISBANE COMMUNISTS

Grey River Argus, 7 August 1948, Page 5

JAILING OF THREE BRISBANE COMMUNISTS

Seamen’s Union Retaliates with Ban on Queensland Ports

SYDNEY, Aug. 6. . The Seamen’s Union has decided to place a ban on all Queensland ports as a protest against the gaoling of three Brisbane Communists for failure to pay fines incurred under the Queensland anti-picketing law. . The ban was imposed following discussions by telephone between the Federal secretary of the Seamen s Union, Mr E. V. Elliott, andt othei member of the executive. The union members will be instructed to-day not to man ships carrying cargoes to or from Queensland. , Brisbane’s 1700 watersiders aie holding a stop-work meeting to-day to discuss the action and the secretary of the Australian Communist Party has arrived at Brisbane, though he maintains that his visit is not connected with the arrests. BRISBANE, Aug. 6. Communist-led unions are considering strong action as a protest against the imprisonment of Mr M. Healy, secretary of the Trades and Labour Council, Mr E. C. Englart, secretary of the Waterside Workers Federation, and Mr Max Julius, a barrister, for failure to pay fines totalling £697 imposed for offences during the recent railway strike. Townsville and Bowen waterfronts are idle. Brisbane watersiders contemplated holding a stopwork meeting, but the Federal Council of the Waterside Workers’ Union decided that before withdrawing labour from Queensland ports it would ask the Queensland Government to release the two union officials and the barrister from gaol and remit their fines. The Queensland secretary of the Seamen’s Union (Mr Wi Casey), said that the branch was waiting for the Federal executive to state the action to be taken. The executive of the Queensland Trades and Labour Council passed a resolution condemning the State Government for its action and asking the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Labour councils of all States to campaign for the release of the men and remission of their fines. The Victorian secretary of the Building Workers’ Union Mr J. Chandler) sent a telegram to Mr Chifley urging him to intervene and warning that a widespread dislocation of industry was possible. In Canberra, Mr Chifley said: “You can rest assured that I won’t be intervening in the matter.” Two More Arrests in Brisbane for Not Paying Fines (Rec. 8.20) BRISBANE, Aug. 6. Two waterside workers, C. Graham and! J. Esler, were taken to gaol to-day, for not paying fines imposed for picketing offences during the recent rail strike. Detectives arrested both men on warrants of commitment. Esler had spent the night at Graham’s home, probably in anticipa.tion of his arrested. Brisbane watersiders who had stopped work in protest against previous arrests, decided at a mass meeting to return to work this afternoon, and to leave any decisions in the hands of the Waterside Workers’ Federation.