PORT ADELAIDE

Otago Witness, Issue 4063, 26 January 1932, Page 25

PORT ADELAIDE

WATERFRONT DISPUTE. VOLUNTEER STABBED TO DEATH. ADELAIDE, January 19. During a fight between waterside workers and volunteer labourers Ernest Harrison, aged 50, was stabbed and died in hospital, and Alexander Hosie was stabbed in the thigh and sent to hospital. The trouble started when volunteers appeared at the licensing office seeking work. TWO VESSELS NOW IDLE. ADELAIDE, January 20. Two ships are now idle as the result of the dispute between the Port Adelaide branch of the Seamen's Union and the Adelaide Steamship Company—the Quorn and the Halpa. The crew of a third vessel have given notice. The central executive of the Miners’ Federation has instructed the men employed at two Broken Hill collieries to cease work in sympathy with the Newcastle seamen, who have declared the company’s four steamers “ black.” THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE. SUPPRESSION OF .VIOLENCE. CANBERRA, January 20. Mr J G. Latham (Federal AttorneyGeneral, in a statement covering the Port Adelaide waterside disorders, said the Government would not tolerate violence or threats of violence. The Government would not condone crime because it may have been initiated or provoked for industrial purposes. Such methods would not succeed with this Government. It was equally futile for the Waterside Workers’ Federation to complain that the trouble arose from the employment of foreigners. The fact remained that the federation had more members of foreign origin in its ranks than any other union. The Government, however, would see that no unfair discrimination was exercised by employers in this direction.

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. FEDERAL SOVEREIGNTY DEFIED. ADELAIDE, January 20. Regulations under the Public Safety Preservation Act having the effect oi barring the employment of volunteer labour on the watefront at Port Adelaide were approved by the State Executive Council to-day, and will be gazetted this afternoon. They restore preference to unionists and all other privileges enjoyed under the Scull in Government, which is directly in conflict with the recent action of the Lyons Government. Other regulations which were approved to-day give wide powers to the police with regard to seditious publications, picketing, and the possession of unlawful weapons. Commenting on the South Australian Government’s action in the Sydney Sun to-day, the editor-in-chief (Mr Delamore M'Cay) describes it as being of the gravest constitutional importance in so far as it transcends any action by a State Government, in contravention of Federal authority, since the formation of the Commonwealth. Whili the South Australian coup can be challenged con stitutionally it is fraught with much graver potentialities because it involves the livelihood and lives of large numbers of people. “ Direct and serious defiance of Commonwealth sovereignty has been attempted, and it remains to be seen whether the Federal Government will take up the challenge.”

WAGE VARIATIONS. SYDNEY, January 20. Mr J. A. Lyons, at the conclusion oi his visit to Sydney, in a speech, said the ridiculous discrepancies between wages and conditions in different States would not work. Wages varied from £3 3s per week for 48 hours in South Australia to £4 2s (id per week for 44 hours in New South Wales. Mr Lyons told a deputation that the Commonwealth financial position made impossible the restoration of invalid and old-age pensions to their former level. PROCLAMATION ISSUED A STATE OF EMERGENCY. ADELAIDE, January 21. A proclamation has been issued by the Governor declaring that a state of emergency exists. This is for the Port Adelaide area only. The Premier (Mr L. L. Hill) stated: “ We are not defying the Commonwealth. We are merely warning it. The Act gives the State Government power to proclaim that a state of emergency exists in any area, and to make regulations for that area.” In spite of the action of the Adelaide branch, ©f the Seamen’s Union in calling out the crews of the vessels owned by the Adelaide Steamship Company, three ships left Port Adelaide with volunteer crews. DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT. NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS. MELBOURNE, January 21. There was a dramatic development in the Port Adelaide maritime trouble today when the Commonwealth Govern-

ment issued new regulations nullifying those of the South Australian Gove rm ment and once again it will be lawful for shipowners to employ volunteer labour on the waterfront. Mr Latham (Federal Attornevgeneral), in a statement, said: “ The Commonwealth Government has a special responsibility under the constitution in respect to the maintenance and control of the sen ices in interstate and foreign trade, and it will not abdicate that responsibility because of violence or threats of violence. Meanwhile the Government invites the organisations of the employers and employees concerned to submit suggestions for a permanent solution of the difficulties on the water* front.” EMPLOYMENT OF VOLUNTEERS THE NEW REGULATIONS. ADELAIDE, January 22. _ Commenting on the Commonwealth Government’s new regulations governing volunteer labour on the waterfront, the Premier (Mr L. L. Hill) said:—“l quite agree that the Commonwealth authorities have acted within their constitutional powers/’ Returned soldiers were the only volunteers employed on the wharves at Port Adelaide yesterday. The Seamen’s Union declared “ black ’’ all vessels of the Adelaide Steamship Company and the Coast Steamships. Ltd. NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS. ADELAIDE. January 22. There were no developments in the waterfront strike beyond the shipowners* announcement that they intend to engage volunteers as heretofore as required. VOLUNTEERS RETURN TO WORK. ADELAIDE, January 23. Although the Adelaide Steamship Company's vessels have been declared “ black,” the interstate passenger liner Manunda sailed with her original crew. The volunteer wharf labourers returned to work on the Port Adelaide wharves.