UGLY SITUATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 12 September 1925, Page 7

UGLY SITUATION

DEVFAOPS IX SYDNEY

POLICE AND STRIKERS CLASH

MORE PROSECUTIONS. BY CABLE—PEESS ASSOCIATION-COPYEIGHT SYDNEY, Sept. 11. A serious clash between the strikers and the police—tfte first since . the strike began—occurred at the Central railway station to-day. The police had planned to raid the strikers while they .were at the railway refreshment rooms, where the union had arranged that they should be supplied with meals. While the strikers were waiting to enter the dining-room a detective suddenly rushed at a man, who fied along the platform. Another detective joined in the chase.

The strikers charged after the detectives, shouting; “Come on, all. We will get him out of it.” Over one hundred strikers raced along the plat, form, dozens more just arriving joining in.

By the time the mass of strikers bad arrived at the road near the station the detectives had captured their man. The crowd then charged, knocking the detectives down and brutally striking them. A violent struggle followed. When a uniformed policeman arrived he drew a revolver and ordered the crowd to stand back. The detectives. although severely mauled, took the man to the station while the remainder were held in check by the constable’s revolver. No secret is now made of the fact that an ugly situation has developed and the delegates declare that the slightest move affecting the trade union movement may precipitate a crisis.

After the afternoon’s sensational arrest the police kept a sharp eye on the railway refreshment room, but there were no further arrests.

A large party of the strikers hurriedly left the railway station with the object, they stated, of dealing with the ship’s officer who had identified some of the strikers, resulting in their arrest. The gang failed to find their prey and quickly passed the large bodies of police now assembled i n the vicinity, being apparently devoid of all fighting spirit. The various points about the harbour where the men may attempt to put off to the idle ships are now strongly picketed, the strikers apparently anticipating defections in their ranks.

A meeting of strikers reaffirmed their decision not to assist the police in any way. Many seamen are walk, ing the city armed with collection boxes, but so far the public are not responding. The Commonwealth Labour councils resumed their discussion on the Deportation Act The greatest secrecy was preserved, but it is known that the councils sent a. message to the Waterside Workers’ Federation, askiii<r a delegate to attend. After hearing the evidence of the masters of several tied-up British steamers in relation to the events leading up to the men leaving their ships and many sharp clashes between opposing counsel, the Deportation Board adjourned till Monday. SECRET PEACE MOVE.

It is consideied likely that an attempt will be made to settle the seamen’s .strike in a similar way to that adopted in the recent Australian shipping crisis. The Premier (Mr. J. T. Lang) is likely to be asked to act as negotiator between the strikers and the owners. While the greatest secrecy is maintained, it is exti’emeiy probable that a peace move will shortly be made. A number of union leaders interviewed the Premier, and it is understood requested him to intervene.

Tli© conference of Labour councils is still sitting. Finality is not expected before Monday. So far between forty and fifty men have returned to the Orama, A further Latch of strikers were sentenced to seven days’ hard labour. The Melbourne police decided to withhold the execution of 236 warrants as the seamen are scattered about the suburbs. The union agreed that the men will march to the police headquarters on Monday. The firemen and trimmers on the Mamari have struck. Twenty seamen from the steamer Min at Newcastle were sentenced to 48 hours’ imprisonment for disobedience of lawful commands. No order was made for the forfeiture of pay. INNOCENT SUFFEK. WIVES AND DEPENDENTS OF STRIKERS. CAPE TOWN, Sept. 10. Threats that the seamen will stop work if their pay is stopped have so far not been mlfilled. The men are performing their ordinary duties. Tney state that although they regard the stoppage of pay as illegal, they do not intend to put themselves wrong by lefusing to work. Advice received from London states that hundreds of sailors’ homes aie affected by the decision of the Union Castle Company not to pay further allotments of wages to the wives and dependents of sailors striking in South Africa. Wives hitherto received 30s a week out of the men’s wages. Meanwhile the Marine Workers’ Union is initiating a test case to see whether the companies can legally reduce the wages of men at sea who are already under articles. It alleges that a variation in wages during a voyage is contrary to the provisions of the .Merchant .Shipping Act. REFUSED DUTY. FURTHER PROSECUTIONS PENDING. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCTATION.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 11. The eight deck hands belonging to the Benicia, who appeared before the magistrate on Wednesday and were ordered to return to their vessel, have not done any work since they went on board. Consequently they will appear before the magistrate on _ Monday to answer a charge of continuous disobedience of orders and combining with others to delay the vessel. The crews of the other vessels are gradually drifting hack, and while they will work in port they are firm i n their refusal to take the ships to sea unless their wages are restored to the previous basis.

IMPRISONMENT FOR STRIKERS. SENTENCES AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. This morning at the Magistrate’s Courfc a number of seamen were, prosecuted for unlawful absence from their ships and for combining with other members of the crew so as to impede the progress of the voyage of the ship. Mr. Orr-Walker, S.M., was on the bench. The case of the first defendant, C. V. Langdem, able seaman on the Arawa, was taken as a test. Counsel said that they were prepared to plead guilty to the first charge of being absent without leave, if the other charges were withdrawn., This procedure had been followed in Auckland. Air. O’Leary said Ids instructions were to press both charges irrespective of what had been done in Auckland. The captain and the chief officer gave evidence. The former said; he had assembled the crew and addressed them for ten minutes. He also read the clause in the articles. Air. O’Leary said there had been a definite combination of the defendants to prevent the ship from going to sea unless their demands were; granted. His Worship said he had no doubt an offence had l been committed in regard to the second charge. Air. Toogood, for the defence, said the defendants would formally plead guilty on the first charge. In defence on the second charge, he submitted that the strike was; the. only recourse the men had against what ithey deemed a grievance. Air. O’Leary said the defendants were the first men to start the strike, or to give a lead in New Zealand and should be deal with more severely than those at Auckland or New Plymouth. He asked for a sentence of imprisonment on each defendant.

The magistrate said that if after that they had been made to go back to work, it would have been taken into consideration, but the men seemed determined to flout the law. ' On the first charge, all the defendants would be convicted and ordered to forfeit two days’ pay, and in addition ten days’ pay, as they had been absent without leave from August 25 until the date of the information. They would also be sentenced to six weeks ’ imprisonment with ~iard labour, on the final charge and the same on the second charge, the sentences to be concurrent.