SIXTEEN INDIANS WOUNDED

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1920, Page 1

SIXTEEN INDIANS WOUNDED

CASTE HATRED XN SYDNEY

SYDNEY November 9. Pun jabs and Afghans, fought a pitched battle in W-oolloornooloo Bay on Saturday afternoon. The fight did not last lqng—but at the conclusion several ambulance-loads wlpre. wliirled off to Sydney Hospital for surgical treatment. These two classes,' of Hindus are members of the crew of the P. and O. steamer Palma, then lying at the ’Loo wharves. It appears that under normal conditions, an Afghan spits at a Punjabi, and a Punjabi prays always that he will never be seen dead with an Afghan. There was friction right

from the moment the blundering Palma people shipped this unmixable crew in Bombay, and it manifested itself most '• strongly when the business of eating was ‘under consideration. The Punjabis refused emphatically to eat anything which had been even looked at by an Afghan cook, and the Afghans had fits ; whenever, for the sake of. economy, it | was suggested that the Hindu crew’s | food be prepared by a non-Afghan. Finally, it was arranged that each sect should have its food prepared by its own cook—and the rule was observed strictly, and, of course, religiously.

f About five o’clock on gaturdny afternoon the Punjabi and the Afghan cooks ! were busy, and somehow contrived to . get in each other’s way. The Afghan . told himself ill a gentle voice what lie thought of the Punjabi, and the Pun jabi spat back his undiluted opinion of all Afghans. The two sects were qqifatting outside, hungrily awaiting , their fried ' bread, and an argument developed as to .which should, lie fed. first. The Punjabi claimed the privi—

I lege over the 'unwashed swine from j Afghanistan, and the Afghans retnliat,cd in kind. In a moment the Two cooks . bad recourse to “the final arbitrament lof war.” Knives were drawn, iron . bars of a handy size began to swing. It was a cooks’ affair for seconds only. The waiting hungry Hindus flew to the .side of their respective champions, and in a moment at least fifty men were engaged# in what the white qunrteivmnstef described as “as merry and will-

\ ing a dog-fight 'as ever the old Palmr saw.” ? j Most of the combatants used bars but the few knives employed did great execution:'' The battle raged for five minutes and then the Hindu in charge arrived, got inth the melee with a yel and a club, and promptly stopped it I The casualties n'umbered sixteen and j nine required hospital treatment. Twc | arc still in the institution..