DISGRACEFUL DISTURBANCE BY LARRIKINS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8388, 16 October 1890, Page 5

DISGRACEFUL DISTURBANCE BY LARRIKINS.

Chowder Bay, a popular picnic resort near Sydney, was (the Sydney Morning Herald says) the scene of a disgraceful disturbance, the offenders being seemingly of the larrikin class. The Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society held a picnic at the bay in aid of the strike, but it must not be supposed that those who caused the disturbance went down in the boats chartered by the committee. As a matter of fact, most of the larrikins travelled from Sydney to Neutral and Mossman Bays, thence overland to Chowder Bay. There appear to have been disturbances from early in the morning, when the first boat arrived, but nothing serious occurred till shortly before one o'clock. At that timo a company of larrikins who term themselves the (Jipps-strect " push," were seen by one of the picnic committee playing "pitch and toss," just outside the pavilion. He asked them to move away, and not play the game so openly. They refused, ami hustled him about. While this scene was going on outside the pavilion, inside a more exciting quarrel was being witnessed. A young fellow of the Gipps-street "push" had been dancing ith a woman who kept company with a man of the Woolloomooloo "push." The fact of his young woman dancing with one of a rival "push" angered the Woolloomooloo man, and in retaliation he hit the girl in the mouth. This provoked a free light between the parties of the two "pushes" inside the pavilion. These larrikins outside hearing the disturbance, rushed the building, and joined in the fight. The police, of whom there were only two on the ground, tried to quell what eventually became a riot. Seeing that the police were interfering the roughs discontinued fighting, and both parties made a united onslaught on the constables. They were hustled about, hit with sticks, and although aided by many of the respectable portion of the picnickers, failed to make any impression on the mob. After a time, the building becoming too confined for operations, a rush was madefor the grass-plot, and here the tight was continued with increased spirit. Finding that the police and their assistants were being driven back, Constable Jvlurphy ran to George's Head battery, which is about a mile from Chowder, and asked Sergeant Lebeau, who was in charge, for help. The sergeant telephoned the news to No. 4 police station, and asked for a force of police to be sent at once. In | the meantime he ordered three of the artillerymen to aid the constables. The riot had now become worse than ever. A hail of stones was literally being poured at the constables' helmets, and sticks were being used, and bottles thrown in all directions. The civilians who had taken the side of law and order were badly treated. They were knocked down and kicked over the ground. Strange to say, in three cases only were injuries reported. Two were those of labourers living at Balmain, and the other was that of Gunner Allen, of the Permanent Artillery. At about half past two o'clock a detachment of the Water Police, under Sub-In-spector Hyam, arrived in the Water Police launch, and things were very soon, that is comparatively speaking, quiet. Twenty men were at once arrested and put aboard the launch, and conveyed to the Water Police Station. Two other trips were made to Chowder Bay by the Water Police in their launch, and on each occasion a further number of arrests was made. It is understood that there are now 43 men and three women locked up, charged with being concerned in the riot.