IN AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18507, 8 October 1925, Page 9

IN AUSTRALIA.

LABOUR COUNCIL'S INSTRUCTIONS. WATERSIDERS' REFUSAL. tar '.-able—rr.isss association—coptsight.} lA7ST7ALIAX AND >'-Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (deceived October 7th, S.4j p.iif.) SYDNEY, October 7. The Labour Council has instructed all unions affiliated to the Council that they must refrain from working all ships that are m dispute. This order does not . apply to the Suevic and Orvieto. The action to be taken in connexion with theso will be considered later. Tho waterside workers refused to obey the instruction, stating they would work the ships. Tho Suevic has arrived, the stewards doing the work of 33 stokers who joined the strikers at Melbourne. The coal lumpers decided not to coal the Orvieto. A further batch of strikers has been sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. MOB VIOLENCE. STATE PREMIER'S DENIAL. CRITICISM BY SENATOR PEARCE. / (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) ■ MELBOURNE, October 7. Mr P. Collier, West Australian Premier, states.that he is cabling to England, denying that there has been physical force or mob violence. Referring to what he described as "the alleged lack of police protection to cope with the mythical physical force, disorder and mob violence, which existed only in tho mind of a panicstricken shipmaster," he said that it was manifestly impossible for the police, when tho strike was in progress, to lino the wharves with a sufficient force to compel tho continuance of shipping operations as in normal times. The own-.io were entitled to use reasonable force to prevent any attempt to board their ships. If lawlessness or disorder followed, the police would automaticaily step in, and only then. The owners expected the .police to usurp the owners' functions. Senator Pearce, said Mr Collier, was forgetting his duty as Federal Minister. He was anxious to mako as much political capital as possible and spoke with little knowledge of the position, implying that the head of the State Government was setting the law at naught. "Pitiable Spectacle." Senator Pearce, the Home Minister, commenting on Mr ColUer's interview with representatives of tho Labour Party and the Watersiders' Federation, said that it was a pitiable spectacle that the head of a State Government sworn to uphold tho laws and peace of tho Staie, and entrusted by the people with control of the police force, should find it necessary to appeal to Labour organisations to take upon themselves tho duty and responsibility which the people placed in his hands. Such weakness emboldened every lawbreaker in tho State. It invited violence and disorder, and brought the law into contempt. The Commonwealth Government could not remain quiescent in such circumstances. Oversea trade was the life-blood of Australian production. It must be maintained. On primary production depended the whole prosperity of Australia. It was owing to these exhibitions of weakness on tho part of State Labour Governments that the Commonwealth was now appealing to the people to give it a mandate to see that any necessary action was taken to safeguard trade and maintain law and order and the supremacy of the 'Parliament and Government. _____ CAPTAIN'S COMPLAINT. NO POLICE PROTECTION AT PERTH. "(AUSTRALIAN" AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) PERTH, October 7. Captain Sprott, of the steamer Defnodocus, replying to denials that tho trow had been intimidated as the result of a raid by British /scfainen, said that it was useless for. anyone to deny that violc'nco had been threatened by strikers who boarded the vessel. There was no police protection for his wcw. Application was made for police to be present when the Demodoeus was berthing, but he was informed that no police would bo made available, and that it was up to the master to protect his own shin.

Subsequent to the first raid on the vessel, he interviewed the Inspector of Police at Frcmantlc, and the Commissioner at Perth, who said that it was not the business of the police to keep people from boarding a ship. /If actual violence occurred , they .would tako action.

In regard to the second raid, when the Demodocus was prevented from leaving her berth, Captain Sprott was told that, if ho dared to try it again he would have to look out for, himself. Raiders threatened that they would damage the main boiler and donkey ongitio boiler. Reports from officers* stated that the men threatened to smash the refrigerating machinery. Captain Sprott pointed \out that if the donkey boiler were damaged tho refrigerated stores would bo ruined, but the men repeated the previous warning not to try it again. DEPORTATION BOARD. (A-STT.ALUN- AND K. 7.. cable association) (Received October 7th, 8.4-j p.m.) •SYDNEY-. October '■ At the Deportation Board, Mr Waft renewed the demand for the attendance of Mr Bruce and Senator Pearoe, stating that if they would attend he would use his influence to got the witnesses for Walsh to answer the Commonwealth counsel's questions. The Hoard -refused to alter its previous decisions