AFTER THE STRIKE

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 112, 8 November 1917, Page 6

AFTER THE STRIKE

LOYALIST WORKERS ATTACKED. (FBOSI ODE OWN COItBESPONDEKT.) SYDNEY, 31st October. There-were sane exciting scenes along the Melbourne waterfront one day last week, when unioniste, trying to get back to work after the etriks, came into collision with the volunteer workers at several points. The unionist watersiders, after fighting *° the last ditch, finally surrendered; and agreed to go back to work, pract«»Uy on pre^trike conditions. The dirtPnT erS and the strikers, however! insisted that all men employed on the The l a te strikers were much averse to wfrk "rih {° « worK on Thursday, and on Thursday morning they a/sernbled at the old .picking-up" pla Ces , i nstea d of registering at the central depot. Of course ao °°c came, to engage them. As % waited the,r tempers were not improved by the sight of gangs of volunteer labourers rolling up to work A mob of 120 ex-strikere, at one point, surrounded a- gang of 17 voluntee^ who were about to commence work on a steamer. Although'assailed on all sides* the volunteers Aowed no disposition to subimt quietly. On the contrary they the mob. Ims resistance infuriated the ™x«*rts, and they got some of tho loyalists down and kicked them in a most brutal manner. The loyalists eventually escaped, after a rough handling. Later they returned to the steamer, and, as the police had arrived, the cowardly mob drew off. • I Later, ttee was another disturbance A gang of volunteers left a steamer and went into Flinders-street ■ to" obtain ™cll-.. Thfy W6re «et upon by a mob, and, though thsy resisted gamely, they were -greatly outnumbered and knocked about, and took refuge in a restaurant in King-street A body of police, arrived opportunely, and drove the rioters away.

About the same time, a gang of volunteer coal lumbers assembling for duty waa pelted with coal; but thin, and another skirmish near the North Wharf was etopped by the police. ' The number of polics available for the protection of loyalists in the early part of the day was shockingly inadequate. In most places there was a solitary policeman where a score wduld have been insufficient. All through' these disturbances the Melbourne authorities have shown a curious unwillingness to use their police. Conditions improved in the afternoon, however, and the mob dared do no more than snarl and show ita teeth.