BATTLE ON PIER.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10734, 3 November 1928, Page 5

BATTLE ON PIER.

TIIREB UNIONISTS SHOT BY POLICE SCORES INJURED BY BATONS MOD LAW .ON WATERFRONT United Press Asbm. by El. Tel. Cop, .utctU (Australian Press AB&oolation.) (Received Nov. .8, 8.20 p.m.) MELBOURNE. Nov. 2. A pitched battle-ibetween unionists stevedores and! the police on the Port Melbourne pier to-day culminated in three unionists being shot. They were Allan Whittaker, who is in a severe condition with a- bullet wound in the right of the jaw; James Williams, a bullet in the right arm, and George Gray, a bullet in the leifc shoulder. Two policemen, Holton and Caldwell, were injured with stones. Scores of unionists received minor injuries from batons, and several were thrown into the sea, but were either rescued or paddled td safety,. l About one thousand unionists gathered round the gates of Princes Pier in the morning, and demanded admission. When refused , they stormed the gates, armed with stones, and overwhelmed the police, whose batons were ineffective. Consequently the,police were compelled to shoot. The battle raged for half an hour before the*infuriated, mob was dispersed. All work was at a standstill and Princes Pier was isolated. Big overseas vessels, including the Chitral, are idle. A hundred extra polico were brought from the country to Melbourne to maintain order.

An aeroplane swooped down- on the rioters while the battle was in progress, and the men feared it would fire a machine gun and momentarily scattered and ducked heads, but nothing of the kind happened. A similar incident occurred yesterday when the cruiser Brisbane fired a gun, which was only being tested.

ATTEMPT TO RAID STEAMER fiQu~

ARMED OFFICER REPULSES ATTACKERS.

United Press ABHn. by El. Tel. Copyrig-h' (Australian Prcsa Assn.i

MELBOURNE, Nov. 2 Shots were filed at a tug taking aboard volunteers at Port Melbourne in the afternoon. Stones were" also thrown, and one volunteer was ‘injured. An attempt was also made to raid the steamer Port Adelaide, but the chief officer drew a revolver arid repulsed the attackers. STRIKERS' WANT FIREARMS TAKEN FROM POLICE. THREATS IN CASE OF REFUSAL. PREMIER’SFIRM REPLY. OniteA Preia Abbii by El. Tel. Copyriehi (Australian Press Association.) (Received Nov. 2, 10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Nov. 2 Representatives of the unionists and the stevedores interviewed the Premier, Air. Hogan, and asked him to restrain the police from using firearms, otherwise they would have to resort to firearms themselves. Mir. Hogan gave them, to under--stand that the polico were bound to preserve law and order. He promised to call Cabinet together to - discuss the 1 developments.-