CRIMINAL CANOS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 10 April 1928, Page 9

CRIMINAL CANOS.

STREET WARFARE IX SYDNEY. The increasing'boldness of the inhabitants of Sydney’s underworld lias caused alarm, for it would appear that the Melbourne, gangs have, transferred their operations thither (states, the <s.v<iney correspondent of tlie '’Wellington ‘■Post-’’) The police state that the criminal population lias increased as the result of importations from other States, and the ,outbreak of prime certainly seems, to suggest that. Oases of assault and robbery in the city streets are becoming more common, these crimes being of a particularly brutal character, indicalting that the perpetrators place little value on human life. Bag snatching in (suburban districts ha.s become common. The indiscriminate use of the revolver is one of the worst phases of this crime wave', which culminated in an open street battle between gangsters. Two grievionsy wounded men are in hospital, and neither of them will assist the police to trace their attackers.

“The name of the man who shot- mo dies with me,” declared Norman McDonald, who was shot recently in the full glare of the lights near the entrance to the Central Railway Station. Another man, alleged to he one of the. two who shot at McDonald, was chased by gangsters, and when last seen was being kicked to death in a doorway. All efforts to this man have failed, and the police believe that he was murdered and that his body was spirited 'way. The feud which resulted in these murderous attacks had been brewing for some months. Early in the day on which the shooting occurred a man was viciously attacked in a city restaurant, and there followed a series of desperate encounters. At the Victoria Park racecourse two men, one a principal in a recent shooting affray in a city hotel, fought a bitter fistic battle until they were .separated and led away, muttering threats aaginst each other. One of thee& men, it was believed, was McDonald, who was shot early the same evening. McDonald hailed a taxi and asked to he driven to the Sydney Hospital. “Step on it,” he said to the driver. “I’vo been shot.” At the hospital the police interviewed him. “I’m not going (to squeal on the joker that shot me,” he said tersely in reply to questions. “I was in a shooting affair myself once. I don’t want the policy to do anything about it.” The police arrived quickly on the scene after the sbootrng had taken place and arrested one man on smsic icn and charged him with vagrancy. In the meantime Constable Kingston, who was off duty, had followed the chase of a man who was subsequently brutally attacked in the doorway of a house in Foveaux Street- He directed the police to the house, and they found the hallway, floor and walls splashed with blood. Constable Kingston had seen the whole of this episode, and after several shots had been fired at him he thought that it was (time to leave and go for assistance. Anyhow, he had been told to run for his life, and he thought tlie advice the' best that could be givon in the circumstances. A second arrest later in the night had an amusing prelude, which showed that even the gangsters are. suffering from shattered 1 nerves. Tlie police suspected that a. man they wanted would Ire- found in a house at Redfern, and they surrounded the premises. One. of the inmates, who it was proved subsequently had no connection with the shooting, saw the police, who were all in plain clothes, posted around the building. He had heard of the revolver fight, and' jumped to the conclusion that a criminal gang was about to attack the place. In fear of his life he jumped from a window and ran away. The police, thinking that the fugitive was the suspect, gave case. The terrified man was fleet of foot, and led his pursuers through nearly two miles of lanes, by-ways, and streets, before he' finally headed for a police station, shouting for help and acclaiming that he was being chased by a razor gang. At one stage he climbed a brick wall nearly 20 feetJiigh and dropped to the other side. Bis cries brought several constables out of the police station, find with a thankful sigh he collapsed into their arms. When asked what his feelings were when lie was finally apprehended by the police, he said: “I said, ‘Thank God —the police at any rate won’t slit your throat.’ ” Learning that the fugitive was not the man they wanted the police returned to the house, and as the second visit was unexpected they had no difficulty in making the a rrest.

Two important decisions have jbccn reached by the Government in' its determination to control the crime wave. One was to authorise the use of the hash for‘assaults with razors, and - the other, tli e more important, perhaps, was to increase the size of the police force by the appointment of two hundred additional men. It seems to be yen orally agreed that the force should have been strengthened soin years ago, lint, various Goveninentrs have avoided the issue mainly on the seoe of expense —about: £SO,OOO per annum. Eventually the issue had to be faced, and the serious events of the past week have strengthened the Commissioner's hands, and his request for greater assistance is to be complied with.- “It is vitally necessary to take the very strongest measures to locate, disarm, and punish gangs of anon who are formed in various parts of the city,” declared the Chief Secretary in announcing the decision of the Cabinet. “These men have no regard for law and order or for human life.”

Another proposal is that the Crimes Act should be amended to make it a more serious offence than it is now to associate with known criminals. It will be readily 'granted that most criminals are cowards. They hunt in packs and they can count on the support. of their companions in an endeavour to outwit the police. If their propensity to gather in gangs could b ■ effected attacked the position would become much less dangerous. “I believe,” said the Minister of Justice, “that if we could make if. too uncomfortable a thing to be a member of a criminal gang very soon the menace would disappear. I am inquiring into the matter, and if necessary—ns I think it is—l will draft a verv drastic Gill.”