MELBOURNE TRAMWAY STRIKE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19007, 7 May 1924, Page 11

MELBOURNE TRAMWAY STRIKE

AN UGLY INCIDENT. MELBOURNE, May 6. An ugly situation occurred in connection with the tramway strike. When two constables were passing a crowd which had congregated outside the Socialist Hall they were subject to hooting and abuse. The constables, after being threatened by the crowd, turned and made off with a large section of the mob in pursuit. They had gone about a hundred yards when one of them turned and fired a revolver at the crowd. The cartridge was a blank one, but had the effect of stopping pursuit. The incident appeared to put the crowd in an ugly mood. Several street fights followed, and shortly after a detachment of police arrived and dispersed the gathering. Following the disturbance two arrests were made. Many of the crowd threatened the police, who were making the arrests, but after some trouble the angry section was quelled. All troopers have been ordered to be ready for immediate action, and police leave has been cancelled. No trams were run yesterday except on some electric circuits, but the full effect will not be felt till to-day, as yesterday was a holiday. The Railway Department ran many extra trains to cope with the traffic. The Victorian branch of the Australian Railway Union meets to-night, when it is expected the tramway strike and the railway employees’ attitude will be discussed. An official of the Tramway Board stated that until the cable trams ceased yesterday they had been running continuously, except on Sunday morning, for thirty-six years. A meeting of the Tramway Union passed a resolution placing tne matter in the hands of the Trades Hall Disputes Committee, also favouring a fight to a finish.