UNIONS KEENLY HOSTILE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 476, 4 October 1928, Page 9

UNIONS KEENLY HOSTILE

NO APPLYING FOR LICENCES POSITION IS STILL ONE OF CRISIS (United F.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. 10.0 a.m. MELBOURNE, To-day. ALTHOUGH no official statement has been issued setting out the maritime conference sub-committee's conclusions about the proposed tight, and the strictest secrecy is otherwise maintained, it is ascertained that there will he uncompromising hostility to any unionists applying for licences under the Transport Act. The conference adjourned until to-day.

The shipowners have decided to pay off the crews of eight vessels to-day. This is only a temporary policy, due to the uncertainty of the attitude of the other unions. Five waterside rioters were sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Four hundred striking waterside workers yesterday marched through the city to the Trades Hall. There they awaited the conclusion of the conference. In the meantime the strikers held a meeting and passed resolutions. One asked that the slogan of the Council of Trades Unions should be: “No licences on the waterfront.” Another expressed indignation at the presence of the strong force of police, which had accompanied the men throughout their march, and a third demanded tile right of peaceful picketing. An inflammatory speech was made by Mr. Jock Garden. He said the delegates did not want negotiations, but fight. This was coldly received. The feeling of the conference seemed to be that there should be a way to avoid a general upheaval, and that final and binding decisions should be delayed. In the course of a speech at Brunswick, Mr. Frank Anstey, Labour member of the House of Representatives for Bourke, advised the waterside strikers to go back to work and to “make it lively on the job for volunteers.” He said there was no possible hope of victory for the strikers now. It was worse than madness for men to strike when there were other men, driven by the force of hunger, ready to take their places. The direct actionist was never in a worse position to achieve victory than in a period of unemployment, which had been so prevalent of late. The police to-day raided the headquarters of the Communist Party in Melbourne. They seized certain documents and literature. FIREARMS UNDER GUARD ADELAIDE PRECAUTIONS ADELAIDE, Wednesday. Free labourers resumed work on all ships at Port Adelaide this morning.

The w'orkers were taken from the city direct to the wharves in steel vans. They will return by special train uuder the protection of a strong police force. Every precaution is being taken against civil disturbance. The bolts have been withdrawn from the rifles and Lewis guns, and the locks from the machine-guns, in all the drill halls and military depots. The parts have been placed under guard at the military barracks. A special Government gazette has been issued ordering the registration of all firearms. Union carters, who carted wool from the stores to the wharves this morning, ceased work this afternoon. Apparently they fear individual molestation rather than instruction from their union. The master carters are endeavouring to carry on. SEAMEN SUPPORT STRIKERS POSITION AT BRISBANE ANOTHER BOMB OUTRAGE Reed. noon. BRISBANE, To-day. At Brisbane the Home Secretary announced that meetings of watersiders and other persons In public places will not be allowed. The Brisbane seamen met at the Trades Hall and decided to stand behind the waterside workers, as in South Australia and Victoria. The shipowners’ representatives at Brisbane to-day are making a call for volunteer seamen for three interstate idle vessels. A bomb exploded at the home of Mr. Frederick Gilmore, chairman of the South Johnstone sugar-cane mill at Innisfail, early yesterday morning. Considerable damage was done. The inmates of the house were all asleep at the time. They were not injured. Policemen, aided by black trackers, are investigating the outrage.