LIVELY SCENES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 152, 24 December 1935, Page 9

LIVELY SCENES

SYDNEY SEAMEN

SECRETARY EJECTED

MESSAGE FROM MINERS

READY TO STRIKE

United Press Association—by Electric T«l»- ---'< 6r."Ph—Copyr-jM. .■■ "; - ■■ SYDNEY, December 23. Nearly 2000 seamen gathered at « mass meeting today ostensibly to deal with the Industrial Commission's order regarding the crews of colliers known as "sixty milers" trading between Newcastle and Sydney. ■ , The meeting adopted a very hostile attitude to Mr. Jacob Johnson, general secretary, who, while urging the men to respect the Commission's order to induce ..the. colliers' crews to return to work, was howled down. Mr. Johnson, however, persisted in talking, whereupon several men responding to exclamations of "chuck him out," rushed the platform and forcibly ejected Mr. Johnson into the street, where he was thrown down and injured. He refused medical aid and also refused to comment on the incident. .-.' ' ■'. -. ■'.;...' "■\'v-V. - ■ Mr. J. Keenan, leader of the strike committee, accused Mr. Johnson ot supplying misleading statements to the Press; and ship owners regarding tha * effect of, the award, which Mr. Johnson: had claimed, had bestowed many * benefits, chiefly pecuniary, on seamen. Mr. C. Herbert,' secretary of the Sydney branch, .submitted a motion claiming that it would be in the best interests of the Seamen's Union if the crews of colliers returned to work forthwith in accordance with the Industrial Commission's direction. Mr. Keenan submitted an amendment endorsing the. stop^-work action of the crews of colliers, which wai carried with only two dissentients.. The meeting discussed the strike generally and heard » message read from northern miners, which stated that if the seamen's strike was not settled after the holidays when the miners were due to resume the miners would go on strike in every pit in Aus- ' tralia. . "•. ' ;: ■■/■, • -•■. ;■ . The meeting also empowered the strike committee to precipitate a general coastal strike if necessary, involving interstate vessels. \ Ship owners report" that a significant development during the weekend was the application by several.unionists for licences. ' , . The' Australian Council of Trades Unions decided today to seek a further conference with Mr. R. G. Menzies, Attorney-General, tbrnorrow,-; and the • unions' affected will meet later in the day to;-hear Mx. Merizies'slteply. Australian ship owners express the opinion that the strike should not last Jong: They are confident of victory which, with the licensing system in operation, should ensure comparative immunity from-future hold-ups. They support their opinion by the substantial number of freighters which have resumed normal running arid the fact that a percentage of,the seamen is tiring of, enforced idleness.,