A SYDNEY LETTER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 221, 22 October 1914, Page 6

A SYDNEY LETTER.

WHOLE TOWN DESTROYED BY GERMANS.

AUSTRALIAN TROOPSHIP RETURNS. From Our Special Correspondent. , < SYDNEYy October 16. The troopship Berrima, : which carried the Australian Forces to New Guinea, returned to Sydney yesterday with some German prisoners and an armed guard on board. One of the destroyers .'coiyvoyed her, and is now undergoing repairs to her propellers, which were injured by striking a coral reef, when searching for the lost Submarine AEI. The . opinion of naval men appears to be that the AEI was lost by striking a reef of this kind when travelling at full speed."" NeAvs to hand by the'Berrima shows that Captain Pockley was shot while attending to a German whose hand' had been shattered by the premature explosion of a hand grenade. It was necessary to amputate the hand, and this Captain Pockley had successfully accomplished, without the use of anaesthetics, the German stoically smoking a cigarette, when he Ayas shot by a Native trooper. All the Germans, it is said, had green bands tied round their arms, and had instructed the Native to shoot all white men not wearing green bands. The Red Cross badge which Pockley wore was, therefore, no protection, so far as the Natives were concerned, and he met his death while ministering to a wounded German. The French steamer Pacifique arrived at Sydney to-day from New Caledonia and the New Hebrides. She brought two German prisoners from Vila. "We just brought them,along to, have them in safe custody," the cap.tain of the Pacifique remarked. The Pacifique also brought the information that the bombardment of Pa-< peete by the Seharnhorst and Gneisenau caused no casualties, though the damage to the town was considerable. ANTI-GERMAN PEELING. A deep and growing resentment against Germans is becoming evident among the usually easy : going people of Sydney; and- occasionally feeling finds expression in a way which shows what self-restraint is being exercised by many Australians'. I 'Last week, a big, healthy-looking, athletic man, who gave his calling as that of an engineer, and wyho spoke well and with an Irish brogue, was charged at the Central Police Court with having assaulted a member of a Bavarian Band and smashed his trumpet. The Bavarian said the Irishman deliberately assaulted him and other members of the band. The Irishman hotly declared that the bandsman asked him for money, and, when told to_ get out, made .faces "at the Irishman. "So I just slapped his face, your Worship," the Irishman said, "and, with that, he and his friends attacked me with their trumpets and '-sang out ••' Hoch dcr Kaiser.' That's how the trumpet got broken." 1 "Did this man say 'Hoch der Kaiser'? the magistrate asked. '' I couldn't swear that lie said it. I know they all said it, but I couldn't pick his voice out of the noise they made.'' The magistrate ruled that, as he could not prove that the prosecuting Bavarian used the words, he would have to fine the Irishman £1 and order him to pay £1 for the damaged instrument. GERMAN BANDS SUPPRESSED. In every quarter of Sydney the case is being discussed, and numerous instances of impudence on the part of German bandsmen have been .given: . Another case, not published, in which a policeman and some larrikins fought seven German's shows how arrogant the Germans' (or Bavarians) can be.The seven, half-intoxicated? were walking up Pitt Street at .1 a.m. singing German songs, when the. policeman cautioned them to be quiet. The Germans at orice attacked him, but being'an-expert pugilist, he was holding his own, when the three "natives" rushed into the fight like a whirlwind, and in a few moments there were 'seven Germans fleeing in any old order with the Sydney boys after them; With difficulty the policeman restrained their ardour for revenge, which he knew would be drastic. The climax in connection with these German or Bavarian bauds was reached when members of the Gerihan Club in Phillip Street asked some bandsmen to play Gerniau airs beneath their balcony, and threw them, money for doing so. ' Mr -JR. C. Teeee, a Sydney solicitor, who is a son of Mr Richard.; Teeee, of the A.M.P. Society, was passing at the time, and the sight exasperated him. It happened that he met the State AttorneyGeneral and mentioned the matter to him. The Attorney-General, according to Mr Teece's .account, -laughed. ; So Mr Teeee wrote.a letter t6 the "Herald,"

which fanned t,the smouldering flames to white heat. The police have been instructed to prevent any bands of foreignets from playing in the streets. In the interests of the German bandsmen, this is a wise precaution, for the-.temper-of the people: as regards this matter is decidedly dangerous. PATRIOTISM AND CHARITY. With the grand total of the Sydney Patriotic Fund soaring well over £300,000, the people of this State had begun to congratulate themselves upon their patriotic self-denial. But the State Chief Sepretary (Mr Cann) has dealt a shattering blow to their dream.

Mr Cann states that since-the patriotic funds were started the subscriptions to hospitals and other charitable institutions in the State have fallen away to nothing, and he threatens that* unless some change occurs, many of them will have to close up. He suggests that it would be advisable for citizens to cease contributing to the war funds-and to resume their'everyday donations to the hospitals. Mr Cann has also put forward a proposal for the amalgamation of all the patriotic funds and their control by the State Treasurer. In this he has a sturdy opponent in Lord Mayor Richards, who states that the Lord Mayor's Fund of £150,000 will most certainly not be amalgamated with others with his consent. Already this r huge fund is making allowr ances to relatives of Australians killed in action and to wives of soldiers in active service, and any interference' by the State appears to be unnecessary. But the problem of the hospitals is * another, matter, and probably Mr Cann ? s - proposal, taken by, and large, is 1 a wise one*and;very necfesV sary.' ■ . ' ' ; - ■;,'■- • ~/'< TRADE UNIONS AT A LOSS. -

The increasing numbers of unemployed men and women in the State is sorely perplexing the executives of ; the various trades unions. At a meeting of delegates it was_ urged that, the Federal 'Government should provide exnployment by pushing on with public works. The question of raising the money has been lightly disposed of by suggesting seriously that a paper issue ttp to £20,000,000 should be authorised, to be redeemed at the rate of one;, million a. year during the next 20 years. .

Trades unionism, as a ..-matter of fact, is confronted with a position that is unique in political history. Hitherto the unions have gotwwhatt t -they wanted by threatening .and fighting the employers, a proceeding which could only succeed in prosperous times when the employers were making enough money;' to meet the increased demands.

Owing to the drought and the war, especially the i former, such a prosperity does not now* exist. Rather than fight, the employer retreats and closes his works.

An example of this was given this week, when the firemen on the Maheno ceased work because they said they were three trimmers or firemen short. "The Union Company's answer was to lay the Maheno up; to the ineonveinience of. passengers i and the monetary loss of other members of the crew.

It is understood that the discontented firemen ceased work without the sanction of their union, and that there will be trouble in consequence. This certainly is no time for men to s"trike for the remedying of small disabilities. Exactly what course will be taken to cope with the serious unemployment question remains to be seen. It is one .upon which the Labour Governments.and; employers will have to work hand in hand, and which is not likely to be settled by the reckless issue of paper money. # ——