ROUNDING OF KHAKI ABSENTEES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 30 November 1915, Page 4

ROUNDING OF KHAKI ABSENTEES

OVER 500 ARRESTED IN SYDNEY CAMP-BREAKERS BROUGHT ' TO BOOK In these days of military activity the. people (if tho city havo become accustomed to the appearance in the streets, nightly, of thousands ol ! men in khaki. Last evening, compared with no'ma! times—within the duration of 'the war--tho streets, were practically deserred of soldiers, but here and thero a stray wounded man, or a man who is about:to leave on his grim mission, was noticed. At intervals" patrols wero observed 'rounding up- stray units, and the public —always good guessers m such affairs— scented that there was '"something doing." r To explain the dearth of uniformed men in the, city last evening it is only necessary to'say that district headquarters decided on a drastio move to detect those men who are masquerading in military uniform, and who have ac" tually i)o association with the forces whatever. Others, who have enlisted, but,who aro known as inveterate "campbreakers," men who persistently overstay their leave, wero also included in the great round-up. In this connection, it is common knowledge that something approaching a great reflection—if not a scandal—has been growing up of late, and Coionel Ramaciotti decided, to put the; matter to a test. , Leave for all men—wounded, and returned' to Australia, or about to leave for the front-

was stopped last evening, -and every man in the streets of Sydney who could not produce a. satisfactory passport was invited'to come to the nearest police station. Military police patrols were distributed throughout the city, and they oarncd a rich harvest.

By 11 p.m. quite a surprising number ot men who were absent without leave found themselves m tho nearest station. A curious featuro of tho roundup was the circulation in tho city' during' the day of the .wild and unconfirmed rumours 'of Greece's attitude in this world-crisis. One well-known restaurant was closed. On the window was a notice: 'On account of fire in the kitchen these premises will bo closed for Borne days. ,r The fact that tho establishment was closed lent colour to tho unfounded rumours circulated earlier in the day. ' '

■ "Pinching the Soldiers." • Even officers were not exempt. The ■ y - , patrolmen was * to take ovorybody they met in uniform. Consequently when a young man in the garb of, a second-licutenanc came along I'itt Street shortly beforo 10 p.m. he was held, up by a picket, and after some parley went along with the patrol. It was all don© very quietly; but perforce it .had/to be done m public, and consequently before long people in the streets began to take notice. "There must bo something doing," said) a man near tho ■Post Office, "They're-pinching all the soldiers." And. so gradually growing groups followed tho progress of tho picket with increasing interest and. expanding wonderment. ' However, there was nothing even remotely resembling a disturbance at any stage of the proceedings. , There was one Targe infantryman, beiugstcored along by a less largo military policeman. Tne custodian saw another soldier enter o wine shop and dived in after him', leaving the large one outside standing to a resolute if somewhat uusteady attention. The patrolman came out in a moment without a prisoner, and tpok the big chap in tow again; but the prizo this time began to steer badly, and made difficulties. Tlie,-little captor, after persuasion had failed, suddenly became, so far as vitalenergy was concerned, multiplied by six,, arid in fewer seconds tlun.it takes lines

to tell it,. about 14st. of protesting Scotch infantry was hove aboard a jUst-then-stopping tramcar. At that very moment another soldier passed. Nemesis had him in a second, and when the tram Btarted it contained three' soldiers—two prisoners, and one panting but" happy captor. Occasionally there were complications that made apprehensions a trifle awkward. 'Tho ladies who accompanied uniformed arrivals. by Manly and Other ferry boats, for instance, made Various manifestations of surprise when their escorts were tapped quietly on the shoulder and asked to "Come along, please I" There was quite a considerable group of ladies outside the Water Police Station at one stage of the evening. But thero was no unnecessary fuss, and, the military authorities are to be congratulated upon the workmanlike way in'which tho job was carried .through, •

The round-up'started, at 9 o'clock. Numerous military patrols in charge of non-commissioned oificers suddenly ap-

peared on the scene at that time, and the business of gathering in every man in uniform was immediately put in hand. Their efforts, were not merely con fined to the city, but also to the whole of tho police metropolitan area, which extends as far.as Homebush. At Liverpool and

.the surrounding districts a similar rotuid-up was held—also in the vicinity of the other military- camps. All the available police in,tho metropolitan area were requisitioned to assist in the .manoeuvre. Patrols and police worked

'liko Trojans. They went everywhere— to clubs, hotels, restaurants, theatres, picture-shows, and any shops that hap-, pened to be open —all were visited m turn, and all added their quota to the ever-swelling crowd which was herded in the various police stations. Here officers were in waiting to question the men brought in, and tho "work of examining the detained men was put in liaud at once. In ever-increasing numbers khaki-clad men poured into the stations. The holding capacity of the stations was taxed to the utmost, and the question now was, not to gfet more-soldiers, but where ,to put them when they came along. The' No. 1 station (Clarence Street) was full, and the men extended in an unbroken line to the very doors of the building. The old 'Central Sta-

tion was soon in little better case, while N0..2 (Regent Street), had the • "house

full' sign up early.. Still the work went on. Tho men continued to come along in small bunches, and, judging by the time occupied in examining each man, it looked, as if they would have to spend at least a oouplr of days at tho job before they possibly hope to finish. The most noticeable feature of tho

whole aifair was the stolid resignation of the men concerned. Thero were grumblers—it goes without saying—but they were in the minority. The others wore quite resigned to tho fact that the proceeding was part of the day's work.

If the authorities saw fit to act' in this v<a;v it was not for them to make complarnts. They had to submit, they argued, and then ask questions afterwards. By midnight everything had 'quietened down. Then had all been weeded out,.and those jvlio were entitled to $0 out of camp were permitted to return to their homes. Tho remainder, however,- wero taken away by the military authorl'Tes in ambulance. wagons to b'o dealt with under military law. Tho "total. bag was noted down at The captures. police headquarters in this way:— Centnll Station No. 1 Station'....' 15(1 ' No. 2 Statiop- WO ' No. 3 Station TOO No.. -1 Station 20. No, u Station • 30 >.V. (i Station 15 . No. 7 .Slatiori 10 No. 8 Station '> Tto. V Station o ; N r o. .10 Station ; la i No. 13 ("Water Police) ~, 50 Toiai m (