To make an example, the Inspector-General ordered a constable to arrest one of the girl strikers. The policeman, who was a timid man where a woman was concerned, walked up to the girl, who was very pretty and well-dressed, and half raising his helmet stammered something about being very sorry, but would she mind coming with him? “Certainly I do, you impertinent fellow,” replied the girl, “I have a good mind to give you in charge; anyway I will tell my ma.” The constable blushed, as only a policeman can blush, and, muttering an apology, returned to Inspector Gooseberry, and told him he was unable in this case to obey orders. Gooseberry at once saw what a difficulty he was placed in, and retired to his office in a most dejected state of mind. Next morning an advertisement appeared in the Morning Terror, requesting any persons having had experience in quelling girl strikers to call on the Inspector-General.
About eleven o’clock a carriage dashed up to the office, and a fashionably-dressed lady alighted from it, giving her card, on which was engraved Mrs. Pitcher, Potts’ Point, to a constable; she requested to see Inspector-Gooseberry.
She was immediately ushered into his sanctum, and when the Inspector recognised her, a smile of satisfaction lit up his face. “I have come to offer a suggestion to you in the present crisis.”
“Mr. Gooseberry,” said she, “you find that you are unable to control these respectable young women with your present force! What you must do is to raise a force of special girl constables.” Gooseberry at once saw the wisdom of this idea, and thanked Mrs. Pitcher warmly. He immediately advertised, inviting 1500 of the Sydney young ladies to come to the assistance of the Government, and act as special constables. Next day the whole of Phillip-street was blocked with the carriages of the elite of Sydney society. The Miss Canarykins were the first to join, and their example was quickly followed by all the other young ladies. It was decided that the force should be dressed in uniform, the choice of which was left to Mrs. Pitcher, who was also aided by Busybee who kindly offered her assistance.
These ladies decided upon the following uniform:—It was to be full dress, as no undress was thought necessary, and to consist of white silk blouses, blue serge skirts, and sailor hats, with Oxford blue ribbons; the badge for the constables was a gold hat-pin, modelled after an oar, on the blade of which was engraved S.G.C.; the officers, in addition to this, wore a plain gold bangle similarly engraved. The Government also thought it as well to raise a corps of 100 special mounted girl constables, and Captain Easton was sent for and requested to allow his two daughters, who are generally admitted to be two of the best lady riders in the colony, to take charge of this corps and organize it. He readily consented, and, after some deliberation, the uniform of the troopers was arranged; it was to consist of a blue serge habit, hussar tunic, with scarlet facings and slung jacket; the head dress, opossum skin hussar busby.
The young lady troopers were all to be mounted on black chargers, and armed with riding whips only. The officers’ badges to be a gold horseshoe bangle.
The constables from numbers 1 to 200 were ordered to parade in the yard at the head office of police at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and, as may be imagined, a great many applications were made to Mr. Gooseberry by some of the leading men in Sydney to be allowed to be present at the drill. Only a few, however, were allowed in, and those mostly officers of the Navy and Land Defence Forces. The uniforms of the first two companies had been rapidly made, partly by the constables themselves, and partly by Free Labour, and very pretty the young Australian ladies looked as they fell in by companies in the yard. The officers were selected from those young ladies who had had any experience with the Navy, Army, or Volunteers, and it was remarked that there was a decided majority on the side of the Navy. After the officers had been selected the roll was called, and Mr. Gooseberry gave the command to No. 1 company to size. Some fun was occasioned by one young lady who, as soon as the Inspector-General said size, mistaking his meaning, stepped forward and answered, “Oh, I take five and three-quarters, six buttons, tan, if you please.” The Captain of number two also made a slight error, as, when requested to form her company into fours, she gave the command “All fours,” which was literally obeyed by most of the company, who fell on their hands and knees. However, with the exception of these trifling errors, the drill was altogether most creditable, as was allowed by Colonels Scalding, Major Darey and Capt. Pathan, who were looking on and chatting about the happy days they had spent together in the Soudan. When the drill was over the companies were served out with Gem air guns, and after a few instructions had been given, in case of any emergency, the parade was dismissed. The following day the next two companies were paraded, and so on day by day with the others until the whole were properly organized. The mounted lady troopers had in the mean time been exercised in the Domain, and were subjected to some little annoyance on the first day by the strikers pelting them with rotten chocolate drops. However, they showed great firmness, and arrested some of the ringleaders, and then the mob dispersed. After this they were allowed to drill without molestation.
In the mean time public business was in a great many cases seriously interfered with. Not only was the inconvenience which I have mentioned before of having men to fill the girl’s places in the shops seriously felt, but the girl constabulary themselves unwittingly became a source of annoyance to the managers of the leading banks and mercantile houses, as, when a company of the girl constabulary was marched through any portion of Sydney to quell a disturbance, there was at once a cry, “Here come the girl police;” bank clerks left their counters, barristers ran out of court, and in one or two instances men were actually known to leave their matutinal B. and S. untasted on the bar, and rush to the doors to stare with enraptured eyes at this beautiful contingent.
The girls on strike were very jealous of the admiration excited by the girl constabulary, and they decided if possible to organize a grand procession; with this idea a deputation waited on Reginald Oofbourne, and asked for his assistance. He readily consented to arrange the procession, regardless of expense, and, with the assistance of some of the leaders of art in Sydney, he organized one of the most splendid sights that has ever been seen.