THE "PUSHES" AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 130, 29 November 1919, Page 8

THE "PUSHES" AGAIN

POLICE ON MOTOR CYCLES.

(FEOM ODR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) - 6 SYDNEY, 18th November. Various local bodies in the suburbs of Sydney are complaining to the police against an outbreak generally of hooliganism. A. spirit of lawlessness appearto prevail among youths in many localities, and it manifests itself in sheer vandalism. The stupid and purposeless destruction of public property is quite a common thing. It was at first thought that.these gangs were returned soldiers, seeking to break the monotony of; tho piping days of peace; but there is hardly a returned man among them. They are mostly stupid and irresponsible boys of between 20 and 22. Although they have proved to be ' somewhat dangerous in gangs, when they have maltreated various person who have earned their displeasure, they are not really formidable, and a whipping or two would probably cause a general disappearance of their spontaneous organisations. Various kinds of public works have been interfered with. Newly or partially completed works have been deliberately destroyed, and everything removable carried off. A common practice is to tear down fences, and pull up young trees and plants. As a result of complaints, the police instituted a system of police patrols on motor cycles, in the districts worst affected. Wherever the presence of a push was reported, the police gave the locality a lot of attention, and the gallant youthswere quickly discouraged, and faded away. The patrol system will be tried thoroughly, and then, if it is not effective, another arid more drastic system will be adopted to deal with the nuisance.