AUSTRALIAN LEADERS OF MINERS AND SEAMEN MAY BE PROSECUTED

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 April 1949, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN LEADERS OF MINERS AND SEAMEN MAY BE PROSECUTED

SYDNEY, April 14.—Commonwealth legal officers have begun to examine whether they can launch prosecutions against the leaders of the miners and ’ seamen because of Mondays stoppage I of work in protest against the gaoling of McPhillips. They are studying a statement by Mr W. Bird, secretary of the Victorian Seamen’s Union, which is alleged to include, “the only time Judge Kirby, or any other judge of the Australian Arbitration Court is in favour of the workers is when he knows there is a strong system of organised workers outside the court who are prepared to struggle.” BALLOT TO BE CHALLENGED. Meanwhile anti-Communist leaders of the shipping section of the Clerks’ Union have d e ci ded to ask the Federal Government to intervene in an election of their union committee. They intend to appeal for financial assistance to challenge an election ballot under regulations introduced by the Federal Government last week, by which unionists may obtain Government aid against oppressive or tyrannical union rules. The Federal Government has decided to authorise immediate prosecutions in any cases in which Communist leaders infringe the Crimes Act or other Commonwealth legislation. The prosecutions recently authorised are said to be only the beginning of a campaign to demonstrate that the Labour Government will not tolerate the tactics of militant trade union officials. REQUEST FOR RELEASE Discussions between Cabinet Ministers have resulted in the Government maintaining its firm attitude over the imprisonment of McPhillips, the Communist secretary of the Ironworkers' Federation, who is serving a month s imprisonment for contempt of the Arbitration Court. A deputation of union representatives asking for his release was told by the acting Attor-ney-General, Senator McKenna, that if McPhillips apologised to the Court the Government might consider reccmmending his release. The deputation said there would be no apology from McPhillips. Throughout Australia unionists who struck in support of the protest against the imprisonment have nearly all returned to work. The Melbourne watersider are all back at work. About 3500 watersiders and many members of other unions refused to observe the order to cease work. In South Australia the seamen returned to work today. Adelaide members of the Ironworkers’ Federation refused to cease work.