THE SYDNEY RIOTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 56, 6 March 1916, Page 3

THE SYDNEY RIOTS.

AFTERMATH OF SHAME AND PUNISHMENT.

OVER 1,000 SOLDIERS DISMISSED,

SYDNEY. Februarv 23

There is now being experienced the inevitable aftermath of shame and punishment in relation to the truly extraordinary outbreak of rioting, pilj laging, and destruction in which sev- | era! thousands of soldiers _ in training engaged at Liverpool and Sydney on February 14th. The damage done to hotels and shops has now been repaired, and the physical injuries received in the conflicts between the rioters and th sorely tried police have nearly all healed, but enough time has not wet elapsed to efface the- widespread feelings of indignation and regret. Over a thousand soldiers have been dismissed over the affair, and in most cases the dismissals have been accompanied by the forfeiture of a fortnight’s military pay. In addition, over a hundred men from the Liverpool and Casula camps, whence the rioters came, are being tried by court-martial on charges ' >

more or less serious military offences in connection with the memorable wild deeds of license and violence. During the week batches of men arrested by the civil police during the disturbance have been dealt with in the police courts, and punished with fines ranging up to £5, or imprisonment for disorderliness and assaults. It seems that, except in a few cases, all the men who shared in the outbreak are now heartily sorry, and admit that, they have deserved the coldness of speech and manner in which they are greeted by their ' military associates and others who know them. One of the methods by which the military authorities are seeking to lessen the possibility of similar outbreaks in future the splitting up of the military camps into a larger number of smaller camps in distributed situations. It is felt that by this means mischievious agitators, such as those who led in tire, strike against an increase in the hours of drill, will be deprived of opportunities for Working up serious disturb'uaccs.