Communist Attack On Public Meeting

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1947, Page 5

Communist Attack On Public Meeting

OVER SYDNEY WHARF STRIKE Volunteers to Unload Food Wanted I (Received 9.0 p.m.). SYDNEY, March 18. Wild scenes occurred in the Sydney Domain this afternoon when three hundred or four hundred waterside workers and their sympathisers, led by well-known Communists, bashed, kicked and pushed a group of citizens who had assembled to protest against the holding up of the food ships by the wharf strike.

Hon. Mr A. D. Bridges, Liberal member of the Legislative Council, received facial injuries', and several other members in the crowd, including elderly men, were knocked down. The police made several arrests, but the numbers of police present were inadequate to affect the position.

Last night, one hundred men volunteered at Manly to unload the food from the ships that are immobilised in the port by the watersiders’ strike.

Mr E. D. Darby, the Liberal M.L.C., had organised this afternoon’s meeting at the Domain to attract more volunteers for food unloading, and to ask for police protection. Shortly before the meeting, fifty watersiders were nearby, and were shouting abuse at the organisers, who were preparing to use a utility truck with amplifiers.

The numbers of the watersiders steadily grew, until a car, fitted with a home-made amplifier, drove into the domain. Through this equipment, Tom Nelson, a former president of the Sydney branch of the Waterside Workers’ Federation, commenced haranguing the crowd. Fie said that the Liberal Party was threatening the working class movement with an organisation built along the lines of a New Guard.

At that, the stage police asked the speaker for his licence. He replied that he did not have it with him, and, after a short argument with an inspector, he resumed his address. Meanwhile, -Mr Bridges, M.L.C., made an attempt to address the crowd through the other speaker system. He was rushed, almost at once, by a mob of men, who overturned the dais-,- and then attacked him as he lay on the ground. County Councillor J. O. Cramer was involved in the lighting mob, and he is suffering from an injured groin. This Communist coup was well organised, as, two hours before the meeting, cars were driving round the waterfront; urging all the watersiders to attend.

AN ORGANISED ATTACK ON M.L.C.

The attack was launched on Mr Bridges, M.L.C., as if by a prearranged signal. Converging from all directions, men knocked him down, kicked, and punched him. Mr Darby and Mr Cramer were also attacked at this stfege. Police rushed to their assistance, and, within a few minutes, motor cycles, trucks and cars had delivered two hundred extra police at the scene.

Eight men were arrested immediately, and a cordon was formed. Inside the cordon the battered speakers re-erected their platform and microphones. The opposition loud speaker’, however, continued to blare, the microphone now being in the hands of the Communist, Stan Morgan.

With blood streaming from out of his mouth, Hon. Mr Bridges remounted the platform. There catcalls, boos, hisses and cries of “Fascist” greeted him. After he had spoken for several minutes, with a section of the crowd trying to count him out, Hon. Mr Darby joined him on the platform. At once, a man dived from behind the van, through the cordon, and swept Mr Darby’s legs from under him in a flying tackle. Another man broke the cordon, and he fell on top of MrDarby. Both of these men were arrested, while Mr Darby remounted the platform and resumed his speech. This was inaudible, due to the racuous yells of the hostile section of the crowd.

After the police had quelled the fighting, the Communist uan went into action again, and a spokesman, Adam Ogston, said: “I hope that we have convinced Darby that we are not going to let this sort of thing go on”.

Bridges and Darby tried to interview the Premier, Hon. J. McGirl’, - later in the afternoon, but they were informed that he could not see them,

as the House was about to resume. They were told that he would appoint another Minister to handle the matter.

Mr E. D. Darby, Liberal member for Manly, in the State Parliament, says that the men are concerned merely at the waste of food. A meeting is being held in Sydney today to obtain more volunteers and to ask the State Parliament for police protection. Ships idle in Sydney as a result of the waterfront strike now total 77, of which 37 are overseas vessels and 31 inter-State. All berthage space is filled and ships are anchoring in the stream. The wharf sheds, particularly at Wolloomooloo, are so packed with cargo that they will hamper work on resumption.

To-day the prospects of settlement are considered brighter. The Stevedoring Industry Commission is conferring with the executive of the Sydney branch of the Waterside Workers’ Federation. If the watersiders’ executive considers the results of the conference satisfactory it will call a' mass meeting of the men to discuss a return to work. The meeting could not oe held before to-morrow and work could net be r resumed before Thursday. The strike began over the suspension of watersiders for refusing to work overtime three nights weekly. The commission made the order in a attempt to clear the accumulation, of cargo now estimated at 150,000 tons. Waterside officials claim that they have an alternative plan which they will place before the commission to-day, but they refuse to give details. Some shipping executives believe that an increase in the reserve force of watersiders is the solution. Although 6200 watersiders are registered in Sydney only 4500 on an average are available- on any one day. Since July shipowners have requisitioned for 1000 more men daily than have been available. 19 ARRESTS MADE (Rec. 10.48). SYDNEY, March 18. In the domain riot, 18 men and one woman were arrested, and they were charged with offensive behaviour, assault, and indecent language. COMMISSION STANDS BY ITS ORDER (Rec. 9.20). SYDNEY, March 18. Hopes of an early settlement of the Sydney waterside dispute faded this afternoon when the Stevedoring Industry Commission' decided not to rescind its order concerning the working of overtime. The Sydney branch of the Waterside Workers 1 ’ Federation, which has its own scheme for settling the strike without overtime, is considering the Commission’s latest decision before putting its proposals forward.