FIVE FURTHER ASSAULTS

Chronicle (Levin), 18 July 1946, Page 8

FIVE FURTHER ASSAULTS

SYDNEY, .Tuly 17. Pive further assaults took piace in Sydney last night. At Rockdale Hotel the manageress. was bliuded with pe])per, struek on Ihe liead with a telephone Uistrument, aml robbed of £287 and two dia.mond rings The assault took plac.e in her own bedroom. While walking with Irer brother in Darliughurst. Road, another woman was struek with a bottlo. ■ Thrge men- in dilferent pai'ts of the eity were attacked by thugs. A poliee spokesnian claiins that. there is not a serious crime wave sweeping ►Sydney, and that reports of unprovokeu' assaults and street robberies are. being great ly exaggerated. "Cut out the beer in Sydney for a month and there would be few criminal aets, " he said. " luvestigat iou shows that many of Ihe alleged assaults oc.cur in brawls be tween men who have been drinking together. ■ There was more crime after the last war than there is now." The New South YVales Cabhiet . has decided to provide heavy gaol penulties for people who possess unlicensed pistols and automatic weapons. The penalties will range up to seven years ' gaoi, without the option of a fine, for anyone [.ossessing a niachiiiegun or a sul>machinegun. At present tlie maxinuun ]ienalty for this oli'euce is six months' gaol and £100 line. For possessing a pistol, an ofl'ender will now be liable to three years' gaol, without tlie option. Ministers iiope that tlie new penalties will help lo abolish trading in illegal weapons.