STRIKERS USE BOMBS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1928, Page 7

STRIKERS USE BOMBS

FOREMEN’S HOMES ATTACKED

FAMILIES ENDANGERED (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable —Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Received September 29, 10.45 a.m.) MELBOURNE. September 29. Bomb outrages occurred at midnight, attempts apparently being made by strikers to destroy the homes of two foremen, employed by the Victorian Stevedoring Company, situated in South Melbourne. The occupants of both cottages had remarkable escapes from injury. Police guards have been placed over the homes of other foremen. The first explosion occurred at the home of Otto Eichorn. The inmates were startled by a terrific bang, falling timber and glass, and smoke, which attracted the neighbours to the scene. Mrs Eichorn, who was in the rear of the cottage, hurried to the bedroom, and rescued two children, eight and two years. She discovered that the room had been partially v,-recked, and the ceiling was tumbling down. She is suffering great shock, and had to receive medical, attention. The second explosion followed thirty minutes later, about a mile away, at the home of William O’Connor. The whole front of the building was wrecked. O’Connor, his wife and children were asleep at the time. Mrs O’Connor, who was thrown out of bed, became hysterical. There were scenes of great commotion. Police patrols searched for two men, who were seen driving a car slowly past both cottages earlier in the evening. They were suspected of having placed jam-tin bombs on the verandah. The whole neighbourhood is in a state of terror. S.A. GOVT’S. ACTION. VOLUNTEER FORCE ARMED. ADELAIDE. September 28. Following the disturbances on the. wharves, the Premier, Mr. Butler, has issued a proclamation that a state of national crisis exists. The proclamation states that arrangements have been made for work on the waterfront to be resumed on Monday. Meanwhile the police force of South Australia has been augmented to provide necessary protection to ensure safety for all persons loading or unloading ships, or otherwise engaged in the transport service. Immediately after the Premier’s proclamation declaring that a state of national crisis existed, 500 men of the Essential Services Organisation, which has been formed with the object of opposing lawlessness, were sworn in as special constables, and were issued with rifles. The special constables were then sent to the military parade grounds, and were drilled under former 'military officers. Detachments of the men were later sent to Port Adelaide. The whole waterfront is now quiet. No work is being carried out on any vessel. A number of volunteer workers were again enrolled,' but it is not expected that work will be resumed before Monday.

STRIKERS OVERPOWER POLICE

ADELAIDE, September 28.

There were further disturbances today. Two thousand of the watersiders camo into conflict with the police when they attempted again to ’march to the wharves. The police were in strong force. They drew their batons gnd after a. struggle, in which many of the strikers were injured, the police prevented the watersiders from crossing Robinson’s Bridge, en route to the wharves.

1 The strikers returned to the attack, and by force of numbers they thrust the police aside, and then swarmed across the Bridge. The police were strongly reinforced, and finally they dispersed the rioters.

MR. BRUCE’S WARNING.

SYDNEY, September 28.

Mi-. Bruce, referring to the waterside strike, said the holding up of 'wool sales through the strike was a (national tragedy. The Federal Government was determined to take every action to ensure a continuance of maritime services, and would use every power to prosecute people who interfered. Mr. Bruce referred to a motion carried by the Sydney Labour Council that it would support the South Australian strikers and would urge drastic action in connection with the Transport Workers’ Act. Mr. Bruce said that the action of the Labour Council was a direct incentive to defy tho law just passed by representatives of the people in the Parliament of the Commonwealth. Action of this kind should bring a realisation to the whole people of Australia of how necessary it was that his Government, should have taken every step to ensure the law of the land would be obeyed, and the authority of Parliament maintained.

BRUTE FORCE TACTICS.

SYDNEY. September 28.

A statement issued by the Shipowners’ Association says: “Mob law on the Adelaide waterfront is merely an exaggeration of conditions under which shipowners have been carrying on their industry for years past. The same brute force tactics, applied as domestic rules, have wrested ruinous concessions under bitter protest from owners -who were reluctant to tie up 'Australian and oversea shipping. The rioters misjudged the spirit of the volunteers, and the owners, if they believed that violence would achieve any purpose but a strengthening of the determination to see the thing through.” The waterfront at Sydney is quiet. Several vessels that were loaded by volunteer labour at other ports, are being loaded by unionists here.. STRIKE SUPPORTED. BRISBANE, September 28. The Watersiders’ Conference decided to call a strike of all waterside workers throughout Queensland. BIG TROUBLE AHEAD? MELBOURNE. September 28. The Australasan Council of Trades Unions’ meeting decided to issue instructions to wharf labourers in all the States not to register under the new Transport Act. This apparently is the first move in

a struggle likely to embroil the whole of the Commonwealth in a strike of a magnitude never before experienced. FREMANTLE MEN RESUME. FREMANTLE, September 29. By a big majority of waterside workers at Fremantle, it was decided to offer for employment under the Booby Award.