CITY PARADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 6

CITY PARADE.

A LITTLE RED FLAG. FRUIT MEN ATTACKED. The first batch of the camp-break-ers arrived at the central railway station in the 11.13 train from Liverpool, says the “Sydney Morning Herald.” Among the trainload of soldiers were some of the rowdy type, and, as usual on occasions of lawlessness, these asserted themselves on the journey down Windows were smashed, and. notwithstanding the presence of women and children on the train, some of the men behaved like hoodlums. Arrived at Sydney, the soldiers formed up in a rough column of fours, , and headed by some men carrying flags, set off for the city, to the accompaniment of the discordant noise ot trumpets and scraps of songs.. Each succeeding train, as it arrived at Sydney, was crammed! with solmany semi-drunk, and nearly all very noisy. One man nonchalantly sauntering along with two liquor measures, one under each arm, was arrested by some of the policemen on duty at the station and taken to No. 2 Police Station, where he was charged. The last train from Liverpool prior to the cancellation of the service to the camp town was packed with soldiers. These, evidently under someone s leadership, quickly formed up in fours on the assembly platform. At the head of the long line were two buglers and two “ standard-bearers,” one of the latter carrying the green and purple colours of the oth Reinforcements of the 2nd Battalion, and the other holding aloft- on a clothes prop the union! Jack, surmounted by a small red flag- 1 This small flag was only .an advertise-' ment. . , . , In a very short time the men had; marched off the station down Pitt Street- and into Hay Street. Here they ; made a reallv fine picture, and, keeping • good time, the fours properly, dressed, the meu marched as if on. parade. With this exception—they were very noisy. Thev informed’ all and sundry! what they thought of the camp and of 1 the new regulations. Round into Eliza- >1 both Street and back to the station | again, and then the soldiers junctioned « with another body of strikers. | Near one of the Elizabeth .Street approaches to the station was the Po- ] mona Fruit- Stall. One of the soldiers }. made for it. another followed', and in a % few second's the still was surrounded 1 by a surging mass of riotous Soldiery, i All the fruit- was taken—and the soldiers spared nothing of the vehicle to J get it- The men started to pelt the \ big crowd’ that was watching^iho•

\ — : ceedings from the balcony of tho station and one of the tramway bridges. Oranges, peaches, bananas, all iiew about, but misses were more frequent than hits. ' The soldiers, still in fours, then proceeded to the fruit stalls at the other i end of the station. One soldier made to help himself to the contents of a barrow, but he was so fiercely attacked by the boyish-looking proprietor that he was driven off. Then an A.M.C. non-commissioned man jumped up on to a barrow and started to harangue the men. He exhorted them to play the game, to give the barrowmeu a chance, and' to get going again. His words had effect. The stalls were left alone, the men formed up and recom- . menced. the}r “ protest ” march. ” Some of the men started to commandeer different vehicles. Motorcars, motor-bicycles, lorries, drays, on all of these the men deposited tliemxclves without as much as ‘ 1 with your leave.” However, in the majority of cases it was tolerated.'

Near George Street, Haymarketj the jien broke up into two bodies, some following the battalion colours, others \ho red-flag-topped Union Jack. The followers of the latter set off down George Street. Except for the frequent raids on vehicles, the men were fairly orderly. .Their numbers, howaver, were diminishing rapidly. At every hotel men. broko away, and occasionally other batches deserted the ranks. Still, when they reached Circular Quay, the men were in fair strength. Here they tried to invade the Manly ferry wharf, but Sergeant Marshall, and four other police who had accompanied the men over the greater part of the march, planted themselves at the turnstiles, and kept the soldiers away.

From the Quay the men then marched to the Conservatorium outside Government House grounds, and thence to the Domain gates, where a few minutes' "smoko" was held. The column - was now. only half its former strength, but ■ it. made an effort to take possession of the Assembly Hotel, Opposite the Police Headquarters. Serjeant Marshall and his four men were not strong enough to eject them, so a squad of ..men from headquarters—mostly "inside"- men—came to the rescue. Every soldier was put out of the hotel, and. the doors were closed. When ihe procession marched from Circular Quay past the" Board of Health office, at the corner of Macquarie Street, a number of taxi cabs were in waiting there. . The drivers *a'W the soldiers coming, and at once made off with their cars at a smart pace. The first part of the procession Iried to intercept the last car, hut the driver was t6o smart, and got clean lway. The drivers were evidently 'taking "no risks-of, having their cars commandeered.

In Castlereagh Street the men took rharge of a waggon belonging to Starkey's Aerated Waters Co.. and emptied it of all its contents. The bottles and syphons, after they had drank their contents, were then thrown about the strieet and .it inoffensive people passing. The next victim was a Chinaman, whose handefart was promptly captured and the. oontents were strewn along the streets. ;In Rawsori Place the rioters again raided the street fruiterers, and in a few moments the contents of the carts x-ere being fought for amongst themselves. From a brewer's cart a barrel Df beer was seized. One soldier, waving a "broom over his head, and hitting out wildly, was arrested at the Broadway and taken to the lock-up. Some of his comrades, who still retained the bottles stolen from Starkey's, then threw them at the police, one hitting Constable Gorrioii and wounding him to such an extent as to necessitate his removal to ihe..hospital.