BATONS AND REVOLVERS USED IN SYDNEY RIOT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 624, 28 March 1929, Page 1

BATONS AND REVOLVERS USED IN SYDNEY RIOT

JUDGE BURNED IN EFFIGY

Police Face Lawless Mob FfGHT FOLLOWS TIMBER.WORKERS’ MARCH IN a desperate fight with striking timber workers, which followed the burning of ballot papers and an effigy of Judge Lukin, before a crowd of 50,000 people in Sydney last night, the police used both revolvers and batons. The constables fought their way clear of the rioters, and at the same time succeeded in arresting seven of them. Earlier in the day, Mr. Jock Garden, secretary of the Trades Hall Council, gave his assurance that there would be no lawlessness if the men were allowed to march through the city. (bnited I'A—By Telegraph — Copyright) fAustralian and -V. z . Press Association)

Reed. 10.20 am. SYDNEY, To-day. FOLLOWING the burning of the ballot papers, which were placed m a kerosene-soaked bag and set on (ire in defiance of the warnings of the Federal authorities and the police, an effigy of Mr. Justice Lukin, who made the timber-workers’ award, was tied to a tree in Hyde Park and burned. In the riot which followed, revolver* were drawn and batons used by a body of police in an effort to quell the maddened rush of hundreds of men. The rioters threatened to overwhelm the police, who were fighting desperately. They eventually succeeded in getting clear of the angry mob and, at the same time, arresting seven men who • were subsequently charged with riotous behaviour. Several of the police were punched about their faces. It is estimated that 50,000 people witnessed the burning episode. The scenes were unprecedented in the history of Australian trade unionism. A conference of union delegates was opened in the afternoon to discuss the timber-workers’ dispute. It was then expected that the strike would be settled soon after the Easter holidays. GARDEN’S ASSURANCE The secretary of the Trades Hall Council, Jock Garden, informed the Police Commissioner in the afternoon that the ballot-burning and the burning of an effigy of Mr. .Justice Lukin would not be carried out. The commissioner gave permiision for a procession of timbermen from the Trades Hall to the Domain at 8 p.m., on the understanding that there should be no lawlessness. He said the police would not tolerate that. Garden gave the necessary assurance. The procession passed through the city while a spectacular fire was at its height. The men sang “We Will Hang Old Lukin on a Sour Apple Tree.” Banners were carried inscribed with the words, “Heads the Boss Wins, Tails the Workers Lose.” Police in great numbers were everywhere. Patrol vans were waiting at all corners. The procession turned into Hyde Park, where a fire was lighted with bundles of papers amid cheers. These made a brief bonfire, which the police trampled out. Fiery speeches were delivered by Jock Garden and the men's leaders. RIOTS IN THE CITY

Riotous scenes followed the parade. A large number of the strikers were involved in a clash with the police in

Georgs Street, and many of them were Injured by the batons of the policemen. Several arrests were made.

BRUTAL ASSAULTS

TWO MEN SAVAGELY KICKED MASKED MEN IN SUBURBS (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 11.28 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. There were two more brutal assaults on timber workers last night. A loyal worker was set on by nine men at Redfern, throxvn to the ground and savagely kicked on the head and body. The man alleges that he had been previously threatened with murder if he continued working. The second attack occurred at Annandale. John Gordon w’as kicked unconscious by two masked men, who made off in a waiting car. A night watchman at a suburban timber yard was brutally assaulted. A volunteer timber worker states that he was attacked at Mascot on Tuesday night by nine men. He says his assailants savagely kicked and otherwise injured him and then robbed him of some papers. The man says the attackers threatened to murder him if they caught him again.

RUINOUS DISPUTE

MINERS’ FAMILIES STARVE OWNERS STILL RESIST (Australian and N.Z. Press Association SYDNEY, Wednesday. The crisis in the coal Industry has reached an interesting stage. Ti Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, and the Premier of New South Wales, Mr. T. R. Bavin, are to confer this evening. Great pressure is being brought to bear upon them by tradespeople in the coalmining areas to settle the dispute as it is proving ruinous to them. The miners’ Parliamentary representatives are daily making fervent appeals to the owners to reopen the mines, as the miners and their families are starving. The owners are passively resisting. They declare they do not W'ant Government interference.