The first major conflict in the industrial disputes of the 1890’s was the so called Maritime Strike that began in August 1890. This had its origins in an agreement in May 1890 between Australian Labour Federation in Queensland. It had to do with some deal between the shearers and pastoralists’ unions that no non-union labour would be employed to shear sheep. In August this agreement was broken when pastoralists and they sent wool sheared by non-union labour to the Brisbane waterfront.

Meanwhile members of the Maritime Officers Association were trying to negotiate higher pay, this was somewhat unusual at the time for a larger “white collar” or middle-class profession to form a union, but some marine officers were receiving less then the seamen to whom they gave orders. Shipowners refused to negotiate because the Maritime Officers Association had thrown in with the Melbourne Trades Hall and some thought there was a collusion between shipowners and pastoralists.

On the 16^th August the shit hit the fan when the Marine Officers walk off the job in protest, the strike spread to NSW, Vic, SA and New Zealand. In Australia there was around 50,000 people on strike.

The ramifications were extensive with Coal Miners in New South Wales and the Melbourne gasworkers called a strike. Then workers at Broken Hill walked out and this caused a company lock-out.

Some of these on strike would be out for two weeks and others for over two months. By mid September unionists were clashing with non-union labour at the Sydney docks when attempts to load wool shorn by non-union labour onto ships.

The Riot Act was read on 19 September at Circular Quay, the strike dragged on till November.

More to follow…………….

Middle of the week and time for some Aussie slang and today we have the following.

No Drama/Worries: As in not a problem or expression of forgiveness, yeah I can do that

Postie: Postman/woman mail delivery person

Plonk: Cheap wine

Polly: Politician

Pokies: Poker machine, or slot machine used for gambling

 Another Tuesday, another creature and this week we have the tree kangaroo, have you heard of it, I have.

Now this kangaroo unlike their ground dwelling cousins have long muscular arms and short legs. They also have curved nails and spongy pads that help with gripping while a long tail helps with balance.

They are graceful climbers, they wrap their arms around tree trunks and hop upwards using their hind legs. They are also expert jumpers leaping from tree to tree and down to the ground.

The species live in the steamy rainforests of New Guinea and north eastern Australia, they keep cool by licking their arms and letting the moisture evaporate.

In Australia, there are now just two species: Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus lumholtzi, and Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus bennettianus. Both are found only in the Wet Tropics of far north-east Queensland, one species on each side of the Daintree River.

Tree kangaroos are very difficult to study in the wild so their average lifespan is unknown, but it is likely 15-20 years. However, in captivity they can live for more than 20 years! The oldest known tree kangaroo is 27 years old.

Here we are at another Monday and here is a little more about the NSW Police force.

It was in 1894 after a number of officers were injured while attempting to arrest safe breakers that legalisation was passed to allow all members to carry firearms and they still do so today.

In 1895 the police band was formed to preform and entertain around the state.

In 1903, the Fingerprint Section was formed. It became the Central Fingerprint Bureau of Australia in 1941, maintaining a nationwide manual collection of fingerprints and criminal records until 1986 when it reverted to a state-based role. It now forms part of the Forensic Services Group.

In 1911 the first police prosecutors were appointed and appeared in the courts.

In 1912 the first motor vehicle was acquired by the NSW Police Force. It was a Sunbeam roadster and was for the exclusive use of the Inspector General. In 1913, a Douglas motorcycle commenced special traffic duties, and in 1915 a Renault was modified for use as a motorised patrol van.

In 1915, Lillian Armfield and Maude Rhodes were appointed as Special Constables and become the first women in the NSW Police Force. They were not allowed to wear uniform or to carry firearms. It was 1948 before women were allowed to wear uniform, 1965 before they were sworn in as Constables like male officers, and 1979 before they were routinely allowed to carry firearms.

The use of wireless with morse code as the means of communication was introduced into a number of police vehicles in 1924. The main base wireless station in Sydney became known by the call-sign VKG in 1927, and by 1928 all police stations were linked to the telephone network.

In 1925, the Public Safety Bureau was formed within the Traffic Branch. This later became the Highway Patrol (HWP) and had responsibility for all traffic law enforcement.

In 1929 the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) was formed from the existing Detective Branch. Today it is known as the State Crime Command.

Policing was declared a reserved occupation during the Second World War. As a result, not many serving Police were released for military duties in Australia and overseas. Those who did serve in the military were commemorated on the Honour Rolls at the Sydney Police Centre and on the Wall of Remembrance at the Police Chapel in Goulburn.

With the threats of invasion from the Japanese, Police undertook many internal security roles in the community and trained with rifles and bayonets

More to come…………

I am wearing shorts this morning, we are in for a hot day.

Spoke to Sandy this morning she is going to tel Doc’s she can’t keep Landon, as he is too violent hitting and biting, and never listening he things it is ok to treat females like shit with no respect. His negative behaviour is affecting the girls and they come first. Both Sandy and I agree he needs to be in an environment that has a strong male roll model showing him how to act and treat females.

It has been a hot day and we had the air con on. I do not think the bedroom air con is working as it should, just not as cold as I think it should be.

When I got up I noticed an upturned container on my desk with a note saying look what I found, Tim found my old hearing aids so now I have two working hearing aids again one old one and one newer one. I am so happy.

Had to change from shorts to long pants at 6.30am and back into shorts at 8.30am.

He found them while searching for something else in his office.

Changed back into shorts at 9am

a pretty warm day but no need for the air con.

Tim thought it was Sam’s early day but no it isn’t Tim even rang the school to check.

An early start to the day up at 4.30am after needing to pee for half an hour, I finally got up at 4.30am as I couldn’t hold it any longer.

Tim has been up going to the toilet on and off since about 3am.

Found a load of washing done in the machine so I got it out and hung it on the clothes hoist and when he got up Tim carried them outside as it is a nice sunny day.

Tim has rehab this morning.

A real early start to t he day I was up at 4am, Tim wasn’t well and he was up already I got up to check on him and decided to stay up.

Since Tim is up there is no listening to my book instead he put a movie on to watch, I was annoyed but said nothing.

The cleaners came as per usual.

Not as warm today.

Another early morning I woke at 3.50am with a sore head my Cpap mask felt too tight, it was ok when I went to bed, by 4.22 I had enough I couldn’t get back to sleep so I just got up and started my day.

Tasha came down to tell me that our neighbour Colin died during the night, he was a paraplegic or a quadriplegic I can’t remember which. He had been our neighbour for many years and was a nice chap. Tasha was pretty upset as she was close to the family.

It has been raining all morning, had to get Tasha to go up with Sam to meet the driver.

I changed my doctors appointment from tomorrow till Wednesday morning due to how I feel since you have to cancelled an appointment at least 3hrs before appointment time but my appointment was at 8.36 in the morning and if I feel like this in the morning I wouldn’t have time to ring and cancel so did it this morning.

Slept well and woke at 4.35 needing to pee, I was laying there thinking I would wait a while before getting up but after a few minutes I got up.

I am still feeling like shit.

Tasha asked to borrow the car for the day we said yes, she is rightly pissed off as she wants her car back and has said so.

Around midday I think it was Tim said he is Dawson walking towards the house, it was a nice surprise to see him he was here for about an hour. A lovely visit.

It has rained on and off all day.

I haven’t felt good all day.

SUE’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 54 TODAY

Saturday again and up, washed and dressed for the day. It is another pretty cool day.

I have managed to do a bit on the computer this morning which has made me feel good. I also sorted the next 4 weeks of medication.

Tasha still doesn’t have her car back and she is so pissed off.

The personalised Christmas cards have arrived. As well as notice about my photo ID expiring soon.

Good morning all, you may have noticed I did no post yesterday this is because I felt like shit yesterday and I still feel pretty much the same way. Also yesterday my computer was running slow the internet was dropping out and all in all giving me the shits. I did very little yesterday and today looks to be the same. Although today the computer hasn’t given me any trouble at all.

I was suppose to go to the doctors this morning but cancelled due to feeling like shit and the weather and will now go next Wednesday.

Tasha has asked to borrow the car and she is a right mood as she has asked for her car to be returned to her and the guy who has it hasn’t replied so she is really pissed. Tim will properly be pissed when he finds out I let her have our car. We, however, are not going out today.

That’s all I have today as my mind isn’t firing on all cylinders.

Hello world here we are at another Wednesday a day f or some Aussie Slang.

Piece of piss: Easy as or an easy task

Pav: Pavolova a rich creamy dessert with meringue and maybe fruit

Op Shop: Second hand store

Lucky Country: Australia (of course)

To have a lend of someone: To take advantage of someone’s gullibility

Another week another creature this one is the Mary River Turtle, it can be found around the Mary River ins South-east Queensland. It is an endangered short-necked turtle around 50cm in length the females are smaller and is on of Australia’s largest, however, it is not its size that makes it interesting it is that it uses it enormously long tail to breath. Yeah you read that right, it breathes through its tail, well its back passage which is why it can be called the bum-breathing turtle.

It also has exceptionally long whisker like “barbels” on its chin, inside which are its taste buds which help it feel out food.

It takes an exceptionally long time to reach maturity, the projected age at maturity is around 25 years for females and 30 years for males.

Although these turtles were known to inhabit the Mary River for nearly 30 years, it was not until 1994 that they were recognised as a new species.

In turtles like other reptiles the back passage is how they get rid of urine and faeces as well as being were their eggs pass through.

The first death of a member of the new Police Force occurred when Constable William Havilland was accidentally shot at Orange whilst returning from Eugowra Rocks, where he had been guarding the gold escort which had earlier been bailed up by bushrangers.

In 1867 Special Constables John Carroll, Patrick Kennagh, Eneas McDonnell and John Phegan were secretly sworn in as part of a covert operation to capture bushrangers who had shot and killed Constable Miles O’Grady at Nerrigundah in 1866. The four Special Constables were ambushed at night at Jinden (near Braidwood) and killed.

Their deaths represent the largest loss of Police lives in a single incident of this type in Australia. Later that year, the Campbell Commission of Inquiry into the State of Crime in the Braidwood District was established. This was the first Royal Commission type inquiry into the NSW Police.