MELBOURNE’S UNDERWORLD

Evening Star, Issue 17597, 28 February 1921, Page 7

MELBOURNE’S UNDERWORLD

BACK. hANJS OKGXI23. (From the ‘ Age ’). Like al! big cities, -Melbourne possesses its “ underworld.” But it washes some of its dirty linen more or less m public in its back lanes—generally between 6 and 3 p.m. ou a week day. These lanes, as a general rule, lead off from tho main streets of the city, and they have their own nomad and objectionable population, noisy in their habits aud remarkably thirsty. And almost every day the blank waits of warehouses and business establishments which surround these little backwaters, just removed tram the main strewn of traffic, look down upon many strange and somewhat Bacchanalian scenes. Later cm, tho ordinary oiticons are able to witness tho effect ot these orgies when their participants progress in a wandering and- erratic course through tho crowds upon tho pavements, sometimes bursting into unmclodioua song and occasionally quarrelling upon very small pretext. Life in these little blind lanes vrakea up shortly after 6 o’clock, when the hotel door* have been closed. Tho majority of thirsty citizens then make their way homeward. But hero and there may bo seen other**— young men, for the most part—whose hip pockets bulge with beer bottles. And during recent months many of them have b«va accustomed to look upon tho back lanes as their clubs. Upon the cobblestones, between tho silent walls, little groups congregate* and raucous laughter and tho occasional tin Ido of broken glass reveal to passers by on the main streets the meeting-places of these dwellers in tho banes, whose language Is not always of the best. One such “ club “ typical of others, recently had a mooting place in a lane in tho centre of the aty. Regularly to this spot camo some six or seven youths, after the hotels had dosed To watch them supplied some indication of tho etiquette of the back laaes. They were gathered there the other day in a little, thirsty group. Some were garbed in sac suits of flashy cut; one or two wore clothes more suitable for hard manual work. But all had a common interest. It was represented by a row of some ten or twelve unopened bottles of boor which were ranged professionally along a stono lodge, and which apparently had to bo emptied within tile next half-hour or so. The conversation of tho group, some of whom had already whetted their appetites—or thirsts—was jovial, if violent, at times. Tips for tho races were, bandied to and fro; the chances of the English team in the next tost match were discussed with emphasis. And meanwhile tho “ chief steward,” self-appointed, produced two or three tumblers, whipped off the metal lops of tho bottles, and bid his comrades “ fill up and be merry.” They “filled up” many times. With monotonous regularity the glasses were replenished and emptied with monstrous gulps, only to bo passed on and filled again. One after the other the tops of the bottles •were removed, while arguments became more frequent and much more violent. Ono tired member of tho club—a little overcome, perhaps, by the hospitality —seated himself upon the cold stones ami argued heatedly about anything, careless whether anyone heard him or not. Then someone trod on Ins teg, found that he also was upon the stones, and sat in the lane by his companion with cheerful disregard of the conventions:. Someone else flung an empty bottle boisterously against the brick wall, and laughed happily at the shattering crash that followed. A few passers by halted uncertainly at the noise, and gazed' at tho dimly-seen group down the lane and passed on. Nobody worried, and overhead tho stars twinkled, while the last bottle was broached and emptied. Then came the moment of departure, and slowly, with vague steps and many arguments, the group broke up and passed out into the stream of traffic. Peace settled down upon the club premises, littered with broken glass. But on tho following evening the “ members ” were there again, and the same routine was followed, typical and not beautiful. Of course, these clubs are not always peaceable. Hotheads sometimes come to grips, and then wild blows aro aimed, while at tho end of the lanes fascinated passers-by halt and watch for a moment (he gambols of this back-lano population. But they pass on quickly, for these chibs aro really “not quite rasped able,” and arc much better left to fhcmsrives. Bo the authorities appear to think, apparently arguing that what tho eye, docs not see the heart docs not grieve over. At any rale, ibo policy appears to have been to leave those groups to their own devices, since they are only a nuisance to themselves and presumably arc strictly “ within the law.’ - Chib mcmbrrslvp is rml exclusive, and no rent need be paid. While this is the case, and lee law is observed, ihe nor turnai thirsty population of ihe back lam is able to fierish, despite the criticisms ol passers-by in the main streets.