TROUBLE FEARED

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1930, Page 2

TROUBLE FEARED

AUSTRALIAN WATERFRONT

v TEST FOR. GOVERNMENT

SYDNEY, April 24

The last has not yet been heard ol the upheaval on the wateilrout, Widen in 1928 brought about an almost ruinous dislocation of Ausuaim’s seaborne trade, From that particular trouble Sydney was iree—mainly owing to ui« Foresight ot oilieials who saw A lie inevitable defeat—but in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Newcastle there were serious riots, a net a very deliberate attempt to break down law and order, it was at the most critical period oi the dispute that the shipowners, decided _o employ free labour, and the free iaboureres, particularly a number of foreigners were brutally attacked in Melbourne.

The origin of the dispute was simple, but showed the absolute arrogance of trade unionism in its worst form. A conference of the Waterside Workers’ Federation was called ,and it instructed its members to repudiate ah award of the ‘Federal Arbitration Court as tar as it concerned the appointment of picking up places. The Union took up the view that the award—really t.ie law—must not he obeyed unless it suited the Union to so obey. The shipowners decided to adhere to the award, and so a strike occurred. Before long the community was faced with the problem of deciding whether defiance of law by the Wateside Unions was to be allowed to cause ruin and privation unchecked, or whether an effort was to be made to keep industry going. It was not long before all the free labour required for the wharves was.forthcoming. Then followed the riots, in which tne strikers resorted to violence. The unionists were defeated, lint .the free jahour has remained, and work luts proceeded more - smoothly than ever before.

The election of. the Federal Labour Government filled the defeated strikers with a fresh hope They looked to the Government to take up their case, and arter considerable delay this,the Government has done. It has issued a proclamation, proclaiming as picking up places those desired by the Unionists, and for which they went out on strike But the shipowners, who are pledged to retain the services of the volunteers, have shown defiance of the Government. The Federal Government says it is determined that the owners shall obey the law, which means that they are siding with the unionist law-breakers. And so it is that a very interesting position has ajrisen. A real test of strength is likely as the owners will do everything in their power to prevent the volun>eers from being squeezed out. The fight has only just begun. The owners iii South' Australia are countering any- move by the Federal Government by deciding to ein.pl oy a permanent staff of Wharf labourers, who will be paid a fixed sum 'each week, and any overtime they may earn. When surplus labour is required they will go to the unionists. The same policy will probably he put into force in Melbourne. The experiment of a permanent labour force on the wharves will be watched with interest from New Zealand. It was talked of ten, twenty, thirty, years ago.