FIRES IN STREET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23071, 23 June 1938, Page 10

FIRES IN STREET

SYDNEY CHILDBEN g FIGHT WITH THE POLICE 1 EXTRAORDINARY SCENES * i [fbom oub own correspondent] BYDNEY, June 17 An army of children fought polioe and firemen in Sydney in defence of King's Birthday bonfires. Palmer Street was the scene of a furious battle. Between 50 and 100 children kept three policemen at bay with a well, directed barrage of firework basket bombs. They wrestled with firemen, hissed and booed them, and slashed the fire-hoses with knives to prerent water reaching the blaze. Men and women encouraged the children. With planking from verandahs and floors of empty houses the Palmer Street children lit three fires, and three times the city fire brigade was called to put them out. The police also left the first fire after it had been extinguished, and reappeared each time for the other two fires. Adjacent Houses Endangered In the first fire tongues of flame soared higher than the roof tops, and the heat forced everybody at least 30 yards from the fire. Adjacent houses were endangered. Unmindful of this, the youngsters heaped on to the fire more verandah posts, doors, floor boards, old tyres and kerosene. They sang "God Save the King," and then began to throw basket bombs at Sergeant McCormiek and Constables Hill and Walker. Simultaneously, they let off sky rdckets and touched off nearly every other sort of firework. Whenever the three policemen attempted to move toward the fire, or those whom they suspected, they were driven back by a barrage of basket bombs. Constable's Courage Cheered During the second fire a lone constable sought refuge from basket bombs by mingling with groups of children. Many bombs were thrown by men and women. One woman stole up behind an unsuspecting constable and ignited a basket bomb between his legs. In the explosion the constable was momentarily lost in . blue flame and smoke. He did not flinch, and when he reappeared he was given three cheers.