SYDNEY RIOT

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1947, Page 5

SYDNEY RIOT

PROTEST RAISED IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

(Rec. 11.5). CANBERRA, March 19. The disturbance in Sydney Domain yesterday was described by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr R. G. Menzies, in the Federal House of Representatives to-day, as “an organised Communist attack cn free speech”. He moved an adjournment of the House as a matter of urgent national importance to discuss the culpability of the Commonwealth over the civil disturbance, and the responsibility for curbing further similar outbreaks of violence.

After three-quarters l of an hour’s debate, the Government “gagged” the motion, which was defeated by 39 votes to 26.

“The incident is one which must have created a feeling of grave uneasiness for all Australians”, said Mr Menzies. “Communism does not believe in free speech. Those men involved in the disturbance were not ordinary, honest Labour men. They were disturbing revolutionaries. They have now reached point at which they offer violence to the citizens- who express their views in a public place. The Communists have gone from strength to strength, and their leaders have enhanced their reputations as apostles of disorder. “Those responsible for yesterday’s disturbance were no more Australians than they were Turks! They were hostile to British institutions, and they were determined that there would be no freedom of speech. This was not just a Sydney incident. It was an incident which shows that there is in Australia a grave challenge to all civil liberties”.

The Attorney-General, Dr. Evatt, said that those who called the meeting were entitled to freedom of speech. There appeared to have been an attempt to interfere with that right. The fact that arrests were made showed that freedom of expression was guaranteed. The Prime Minister, Mr J. B. Chifley, said that he deeply regretted such incidents. He said: “I don’t care whether they are Liberals or Communists—they are entitled to express their views”.

of the waterfront dispute, which is now in its ninth day.

Because of the shortage of salt, many Sydney bakeries will be forced to'dose within a week. Housewives are frantically canvassing the shops l for dwindling supplies of sugar. The manufacture of sugar stopped yesterday. The processing of meat is expected to finish with a week, and an early shut-down in the manufacturing of jams, cordials, tinned food, pickles and ice-cream is predicted. More than four thousand tons of salt arc; stacked on the Adelaide wharves, waiting shipment to Sydney.