STRIKE MEETINGS IN BRISBANE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 136, 20 March 1948, Page 5

STRIKE MEETINGS IN BRISBANE

No Disturbances Reported

MOST N.S.W. MINES WORKED

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright). BRISBANE, March 10. A mass meeting of unionists arranged to take place this afternoon in King George Square, the busiest part of Brisbane,’ failed to provide the expected disturbances. Ten thousand people who jammed the pavements around the square in anticipation .of violence saw the police and strikers. watch each other without tension.

Only about 1500 striking watersillers went to the centre of the square, and after a few short speeches by their leaders, moved off to the Trades Hall where members of the otherstriking unions were holding meetings. These, men had been expected to go to the square, but an impromptu meeting was held on the spot. Many held up foot-square cardboard handlulls which were thrown to them out of the windows of the Trades Hall. Police who stood by in force took no action.

In Melbourne, the Premier of Victoria (Mr T. T. Hollway) said that if supplies of coal to Victoria were cut off by Communist action, as had been publicly threatened by Mr J. .1. Brown, president of the Australian Railways Union, Parliament would be summoned to consider legislation making Communist organisations illegal. He had no doubt that other States would take similar action, and that public opinion would force tire Federal Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) to prevent the victimisation of States. Earlier, Mr Brown had said that arrangements had been made to give the Hollway Government a headache if it tried to use its emergency powers and that soon Victoria would be getting no coal. Mr Hollway said it was no good Mr Brown attempting to browbeat the Government or seeking to become the industrial dictator of Victoria. The Government would not cease to govern and the people generally would no longer be tolerant of irresponsible leadership.

Most of the New South Wales mines worked to-day, hut the coal loss was 15,000 tons. Coal stocks held by Sydney public utilities' are dangerously low, and a further stoppage would he followed almost immediately by the rationing of gas and electricity.

SUMMONSES SERVED SEQUEL TO MASS MEETING (Rec. 11 a .in.) BRISBANE, This Day. The sequel to the mass meeting of unionists in King George Square yesterday afternoon was the serving of two summonses on the Federal secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Federation. Mr J. Healy. which allege that Healy spoke at an unauthorised meeting and participated in. an> illegal procession. An attempt to sabotage the GyrnpieMaryborough rail motor was discovered late yesterday. As the train was about to leave G.vmpie, the driver found that three of the fuel pipes ,had been snapped.

Thisi is the fourth instance of railAvay sabotage in Queensland in a fortnight.