EMERGENCY LAWS IN QUEENSLAND

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25440, 11 March 1948, Page 7

EMERGENCY LAWS IN QUEENSLAND

Government Move To Break Strike WIDE POWERS FOR POLICE

(Rec. 7 p.ifl.) BRISBANE, March 10. .An emergency bill to ban strike pickets and intimidation by strikers was passed by the Queensland Parliament at 2 a.m. to-day after an allnight sitting. The bill was agreed to by 51 votes to 3, the only dissentients being a Communist and two Independent members, and will go to the Governor for Royal Assent to-day. Speedy action was made easier because Queensland has only one Parliamentary Hotise. . The Government believes that when the powers provided by the bill are used the Queensland railway strike, now in its thirty-seven th day, will collapse. Under the new law, persons who defy the police by loitering near places of employment or workers’ homes will be liable to a fine of £lOO or six months’ imprisonment, or both. The bill prohibits picketing, verbal or written threats, pffensive or insulting words, including “scab,” the carrying of banners or placards counselling persons to leave work, and the inducing of ahy person to leave work or refrain from returning to work. It empowers the police to arrest without warrant any offender who refuses to give a true name and address and gives police officers of the rank ot sergeant or over power to enter by force if necessary any land ot premises where he thinks ah offence against th? act is being committed. These are the most sweeping powers ever conferred on the police force in Australia. Premier Attacks Communists Introducing the bill, the Premie’(Mt E. M. Hanlon) again bitterly criticised the Communists, whom he blafried for organising picketing and intimidation. “From one end of the country to th? Other people are sick to death o f 'Cominos.’ People have had them and all their work,” he said. He emphasised that the bill was intended to deal with Unauthorised strikes only. The Lord Mayot of Brisbane (Alder man Chandler) has suggested to two Brisbane archbishops and the president of the Council of Churches that they appeal for industrial peace on a day of prayer to be held next Sunday The suggestion is, being supported enthusiastically by the churches. The Commissioner of Railways reports that 132 trains ran yesterday in defiance of the strike ban. compared with 102 the day before. Storemen and packers have decided that they will not accept the direction by their union executive to cease work'at the Shell Company petrol depots. The Commonwealth Department of Supply and Shipping has informed the New South Wales State authorities that because ot the strike petrol will be made available to enable the transport of essential goods by road from Sydney to Brisbane and back. However, the New South Wales Premier (Mr J. McGirr) and the Minister of Transport (Mr M. O’Sullivan) have not made public their attitude to the Queensland dispute.