SWAGGERS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8729, 27 February 1894, Page 5

SWAGGERS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

The police have of late received many complaints of the number of swaggers who are about the roads, and who ou passing through Timaru are nob backward in asking people to give them food and firing. Several of these swaggers have become such a nuisance to a, resident who leases a. paddock and shed at jfcfce southern end of the town, that he found it ne.essary to eject them from the building yesterday. Not contenb with a shake down in the building, they hod added wilful damage to trespass by pulling down parts of an old buildi&gaud using ie for firewood. The lessee /*f the place caught four swaggers redJunded, and gave them immediate notice to quit or the police would be called in. One young fellow got more than he bargained for, as also did a mate who came to his and iv the end ail four were, with their swags aud their billies, bundled ff the place. Most of the swaggers are of low class, spend all they can get hold of n drink, aud wili not do a stroke of work f they can help it. The Timaru Herald hears that the licensees of the public-houses at two country places to the south refused to serve the gang with liquor, locked the hara up, and on the men becoming abusive called in the police. Before the latter had *rnved, however, the swaggers had cleared out.