MELBOURNE RIOTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 November 1928, Page 7

MELBOURNE RIOTS.

•‘MYSTERIOUS INFLUENCES.” , ••STATE GOVEIINAI ENT'S OBLIGATION*. SYDNEY, Nov. 8. The Melbourne waterside riots have been very embarrassing to the Victorian Labour Government, and more particularly to the Labour candidates for Victorian (seats in the Federal elections. The Premier of Victoria (Mr. Hogan) lias been bitterly criticised. He has been at great pains to explain that industrial Labour was opposed to the waterside strike. "There have been mysterious influences at work to keep it going,” he said. ”1 have been criticised tor referring to isuch influences, but any lair-minded man who considers the I acts must recognise that such influences exist. Union ofiieials received a summons to Sydney just after the men had resumed work. The mysterious influences were at once galvanised into extraordinary activity, going from place to- place and intimidating the men to refuse work. I ask Mr. Bruce what, lie knows of these influences.” Air. Hogan claimed that he had done i:\erytliing possible to settle the strike, and iiad settled it two or three times, bui, some mysterious influence had kept it going.

There was a great outcry among members of the Labour Party arid the waterside workers because the police fired on those who rushed the gates: ifi Melbourne last week. This with a Labour Government in power! It was too much for them—too unexpected and almost unbelievable. Air. Hogan did not attempt to justify the shooting: lie left that to the Police Commissioner (General Blarney). "I have no hesitation in saying that the shooting was fully justified,” said the commissioner. "The officer in charge knew how desperate the position was, and he acted oil his own responsibility. From t lie official report that I have received it seems that a small body of men were attacked by about 7(H) or So!> men, who drove them back along the pier. The police were obliged to draw their revolvers. They exploited every device to induce' the strikers to return to the picking-tip place, and the order was given to lire only when it was evident that the police were about to be overwhelmed. They are always justified in using revolvers for their own protection. The feeling of the strikers was in evidence again last Sunday, when they held a meeting on the banks of, the Yarra. An “Argus” reporter, a former New Zealander, was discovered, and lie was brutally attacked by a mob of several hundred. He was: knocked to the ground, his notes were taken from him and destroyed, and he was kicked and punched. He escaped serious injury only by the intervention of some men and women who still had a spark of British fairplay in their veins. However. the reporter was told that it would he advisable if he deserted his post, and the threats were such that lie was left with no alternative if he valued his life.

Commenting ‘on tlie disturbances the Prime Minister (Mr. Bruce) said that it was the duty of the State Governments to maintain order, and t lie Commonwealth Government Was powerless in such matters. Tn the circumstances it was difficult to avoid the. conclusion that the State Government was recreant to its duty to see. that men who came to the assistance

of the nation • were protected. The State Ministry had an obligation to prntert these men. hut it had not made a statement that it was prepared in do so. The Commonwealth had • ’ecided to do its part by cancelling the licenses of all those waterside workers wlu/ took part in such threatening demonstrations as those which had taken place in Melbourne. That would mean that offenders would not he permitted to work in the transport trade.