SYDNEY “POSHES.”

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1920, Page 4

SYDNEY “POSHES.”

SIGNS OF IHiPRIipESpJSNCE

SYDNEY, Nov 10. There were signs in Sydney during the week-end of that’ recrudescence of , the Sydney curse the “pushes,” to which reference has been made on a number of occasions lately. The pushes seem to be composed of youths who have never smelt powder, but who have , imbibed the lawless spirit of th e war period. j Two pushes, the “Newts” and the “Gippos” (the Newtowns and the Chip- j pendales, their respective suburbs), had < a pitched battle at a busy suburban corner early on Sunday evening. There seemed to be fully one hundred' engag. ed. They had been scouting about for two or three evenings prior to the encounter and they had the neighbourhood in a complete state of nerves. Largo numbers of people had gathered to witness the encounter. The* “Newts” to the number of about GO' came along in all the panoply of * W ar. They were armed with iron bars arit] loaded sticks, and they pranced and emitted blood-curdling yells. They let everyone, know that they were looking for the hated “Gippos,” and they signified that they would he satisfied with nothing less than eating their enemies while the latter were still alive. The “Gippos” did not shun the imminent encounter. They gathered in a side street, grim, but not silent. They, too, howled in a most bloodcurdling manner and they brandished an impressive collection of weighted clubs. The “Newts” arrived at tho corner and immediately the battle started. What it lacked in science it made up in enthusiasm. Meanwhile two stout policemen had bqen apprised of what was toward, and they sought the battle-ground with all expedition. The fight had been most merrily in progress for some minutes when they arrived. Tho two policemen did not waver —they drew their batons and “waded into” the middle of the battle. The cry of “cops” went up, and the battle ended in a second. The warriors of both sides although they outnumbered the police by fifty to one, ♦promptly flee] in great disorder, having the roadway scattered with (heir weapons. The constables had jumped right into the middle of the battle, arid grabbed. They caught and held three of the leading pushites. One fought savagely for freedom, and lie was roughly handled. The neighbourhood was absolutely quiet for the remainder of that night. Honour, it seemed, had been satisfied. In other suburbs on Saturday night, the police found a man and a middleaged woman lying unconscious. The slight evidence available shows each to liavo been attaoked by a push.