WILD SYDNEY SCENES

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1930, Page 14

WILD SYDNEY SCENES

MUCH BROKEN FURNITURE. ‘ ■' ■ . > . UNION DELEGATES' INJURED. Riotous scenes marked a meeting of the-Labour Council in Sydney last'week. In a debate on the recent demonstration in the city /the Communists took charge .of proceedings and, closing the doors of the meeting room, savagely attacked the delegates who had criticised the' action of the organisers of the demonstration which resulted in the riots. ■ Many delegates, including the. secretary, Mr. J. S. Garden,.and. the organ-I iser, Mr. R.' King, were among those'who I

were iiyured. The police arrived at the height of the disturbance in: response to an; urgent, summons from the care taker.. 1 For some, time, however, they were unable to gain admission to the room because the ‘Communists-Miad' taken ; the precaution: to barricade all entrances. . The' trouble; started when w division was being taken on. a motion’submitted' by .a ; prominent Communist; 'Mr. 'M.‘ Ryan, condemning'the action, of the Lang I Government in : allowing the . police to

use batons against the working, class. The debate had been in .progress an ; hour before the division was called for and had been marked by much • disorder. Every speaker, including: the secretary, * Mr. J.- S. -Garden, who attempted to defend - the ■ Government, was -howled down' by Communists, who packed the. public : gallery and were' supported by a number ■ of Communists .delegates. The motion was defeated on the' voices and on a show of hands, the .supporters of Mr. Garden' being in’ the majority.

. In response, to clamorous, demands by the Qommunists the chairman, Mr. J. Hooke, ordered' a division. "■ While the delegates were moving' to-record their votes Communists . supporters brokethrough' the railing separating’, the public gallery. from the floor' of the meeting room. ' Anticipating trouble-one delegate : attempted to leave but was told that he had to remain. When he. expostulated he was felled by a prominent Communist. He rose to his feet and- punched j his assailant, A general . fight ensued.

The occupants of the public gallery rushed in arriong'the ‘delegates..? Chairs were thrown and used as weapons, and tables overturned. ‘ V‘ *. ; A section. of the delegates broke chairs and barricaded the doors to prevent any-, ope telephoning-for the- police. In the meantime: many -delegates’ had .- taken shelter on the platform. Mr. R. attempting .to .stem, a Irtish; toward -Mr.'. Garden, was felled by a delegate, who' swung, a chair -at his. head. Another delegate, who attempted to go? to Mr. King’s assistance, was pinned ■to ■ the •wall. . ■■ - •• - .. - Within a' few ■ seconds nearly every delegate showed marks of the fight. There were many- cut ■ noses arid. bruisey. faces and several ’delegates had their spectacles • smashed. •■Mr. Garden received 'a ’ blow,-.but a number of his supporters prevented a serious ; assault upon: him., The assistant-' secretary. Mr. Voight, disappeared from sight when overwhelmed- .by a rush of attackers, but his small - stature- saved him from serious injury.- Only-.-the fact

that such a' largo crowd ■ was crammed into a small space prevented serious injury to many. The Communists; because of the congestion; got in their • own way, and actually punched,one another in the ■ melee. 7 , 1 ' t ’ • Finally, Mr,. M.'P. Ryan, addressed the delegates and the doors were alloyed to be opened. At. this stage an attempt was made to prevent Mr, Garden and a gr.oup of supporters fronvleaving,-but a i

counter-attack cleared tha jwajr. 1 A large body, of surged; through the open doors, but thedisturbance/had by; this, time subsided. , . ’ f ~ * .•- .'*■ On diminutive delegate, jumping on to the platform, announced : amid’ -uproar that the motion/condemning '-the Government had been carried <nd immediately invited those present to join in. the iinging .of the insolently called upon, a police officer to remove his cap during, the singing, /but his order was ignored. The, .councU : room. after, the riot. ; scene of disorder,-broken’efiairk and dem? aged fittings indicating,.the.fierceness -®f the battle. One’deleg'ata'wes leaving the room, with,'- his. nose , bsdly! smashed and covered with - blood. AB" other displayed a loaded i stick, had been used ;in .the fight, .land also had .been used against the poliww the Macquarie’ Street riots. - ’felt was stated subsequently, ,that th? motive of the Communists in pausing the.« disturbance. was. to: punish the ■ delegates for refusing to take part in ary demonstrations. ; . , ~-'' ' Thp injured *. delegates, received attanition in various union offices, and_ the Communists'retired to .their ball to have their minor injuries attended to/ ~. <.51 v. A number? of Labour women," who aafl been unable ‘to leave the building, suffered from shock. Several Communist women, however, took 1 an active part in the'fight,.' ' ;' "• ' •■ - ’y;