Wu, your right there it, was Kate Leight at war with Tilly Devine. Seems the law in the 1930's prevented a man from running a brothel, but the law didn't extend to a woman doing the same thing. Bea Miles, would jump in the back of a cab and refuse to get out. I'm sure the old man said she had money, but most likely didn't.
With Souths winning I can just recall the very last "rabbitoh" in Sydney. A Mr Penfold, with his horse and cart. The cart was covered and low down so he could step in and out from the back about 6 inches off the road. He would yell out "Rabbitsssss.. only a shilling", skin and gut them in front of you, wrap them in newspaper. The horse knew where to go and when to stop. I recall, being only about 5, mum sending me with two shillings to get a pair of rabbits. Don't think the whole operation would pass the "health check" today, no refrigeration in the cart and a few flys as well.

Take, the Nuremberg Trials and the highest ranking Nazi caught Hermann Goering, a shocking war criminal if ever there was one. On capture the Allies could have simply taken Goering out and delivered summery execution. He was obviously guilty of war crimes, and not too many people would have come to Goering's defense. I'm sure if the Nazi's had won the war, allied leaders like Churchill, would have been hung with piano wire with nothing more than a show trial at best.
To our credit we didn't act that way, we believed in the rule of law, no matter what, and even a person as evil as Goering was entitled to a fair trial, which he received. Hicks in no way can be compared to Goering, but no matter what he may or may not have done Hicks too was entitled to fairness from us civilized people, somthing he did not receive!
Steele, just consider me the "armadillo" on this forum. I have spent years campaigning with Green candidates on the streets of inner Sydney and there are plenty out there who don't agree with us, I wonder why, and they don't mind telling you to your face in no uncertain terms. So there is nothing that anyone, like Beach, could ever post here that would insult me. I give as good as I get, and I try to be inventive, like reference to The Daily Mirror and Uncle Adolf from Austria. One thing about "lefties" I find, many have the ability to laugh at themselves, something I never ever come across with the right wing mob, they just take themselves so serious.
Take one of the hardest fighters for the left I ever come across Laurie Carmichael. Laurie was passionate when it came to communism and the workers, but in a quite moment Laurie could crack a joke about it all with the best of them.

Paul,

I remember the rabbit man as well, and the clothes-prop man and, of course, the milkman who called daily as did the baker.
They along with the garbage men all used horses and carts and it was my job to watch for the horses to drop some manure and to race out with bucket and scoop and claim the prize for the garden.
The "Night Soil Collectors" aka "Dunny Can Man" used a "48 door Sedan", with petrol motor, even back then.

This was in the Sydney suburb of Auburn, where like everywhere else the only things left to mark the progress of the only one left, the garbage truck, is diesel fumes and the occasional oil spot.

G'day there CHRISGAFF1000...

Good to see you mate ! Wow, a powerful story from seemingly a 'no account' ol' street dweller ! The 'no account' is so very fallacious eh ? 'There but for the grace of God go I' ? What an extraordinary story from a person you'd never imagine would even have one ? There's no doubt, you can never make snap decisions about people, no matter how innocuous and broken they may seem ? Makes one think eh ?

The 'gentleman' of whom you refer Chris, is none other than that inimitable rogue, Harry M. MILLER ! Impresario, fight promoter, host and Show Biz entrepreneur, as well as part-time (but likable) scoundrel with the ladies ? That said, he was (apparently) a very shrewd businessman. From the little I know, he did his boob relatively easy, befriending all manner of miscreants and ne'er do wells in the process of his stay ? I did have a brief conversation with him post his release, and he is/was what I'd call 'charming', and very easy to speak with, emmmm ?

While it's true he did nod his head to a number of serious fraud charges, he does claim the irregularities associated with 'Tic a Tec' were more of an 'oversight' rather than straight up fraud ? Where the truth lies, who knows, I was neither on the team, nor did I ever speak with the case officer ? Life's full of contradictions !

Thanks for 'stopping by' Chris, take it easy.

Hi PAUL1405...

Now you've done it ! They reckon regression is not good for the soul when we seek to compare one era with another ? Myself, I'm not so sure ?

IS MISE, reminding us of those old bygone institutions, such as the Rabbit Man, Clothes props, the Milkman, and Baker. Another favourite of mine was the Ice Man with his obedient horse and cart, allowing us kids to retrieve the broken bits of ice from the rear of his wagon. And occasionally he'd allow us to ride atop of the cart, as the old horse quietly 'clip clopping' along the street, without any need of it's owner to guide it's passage. Luckily there was no OH&S around in those days, fortunately for us kids.

With these large metal tongs, he'd carry in each hand, these huge blocks of ice into our kitchen, and adroitly, deposit them into the top of our 'Silent Knight' brand, Icebox. Generally in summer, the blocks would only prevail for around 48-60 hours, before another Block or two was required. But despite the rudimentary technology, it worked ! Keeping our perishables from spoiling !

The milkman never left bottles or cartons of milk either, when he called at our place, in the Sydney suburb of Concord. Rather he'd fill, your own (metal) milk container, from his own much larger milk cans, with the requisite quantities, according to the note specified and money you'd leave for him the previous night. As you quite rightly pointed out PAUL1405, there was no whinging about health considerations either.

There's no doubt we've advanced technologically in leaps and bounds. But (in my opinion), we've retrogressed quite badly in some other quite important areas, particularly in terms of our Society, and the way we treat each other ?

Hi (again) PAUL1405...

I would agree, you do give as good as you get. It is for that reason I believe you're owed an honest answer as to what I believe would have happened to David HICKS had he been caught by members of an Oz section or platoon in Vietnam, in very similar circumstances that ensued, when he was first captured by the American troops.

The proviso being, as he was widely depicted in photographs - was found armed with either a RPG Tube, or AK47. And, he was in company with, and similarly attired to, the Taliban (the enemy), and he was in possession of munitions.

PAUL1405, I can't (hand on heart) honestly say to you, if those circumstances described above, actually prevailed, he'd come very, very, close to being shot ! Put it this way, I'd not wish to trade places with him. When Oz soldiers, are 'outside the wire' on patrol, there's always an expectation of a 'contact'. Therefore, each member is in a state of preparedness, to provide an 'immediate' response to either a contact or worse, an ambush !

I must categorically state herein, it would have nothing to do with him being David HICKS, an Australian citizen, it would be a simple case of seeing, an armed individual, in company with a recognisable enemy, in a hostile area, nothing more.

Let us assume for a moment, if he and his cohorts, immediately downed their weapons, and raised their hands without any resistance whatsoever, would he or his cohorts be shot...clearly no. It would be a serious war crime ! But because Oz soldiers were on active service, on a search and destroy patrol, any resistance would be met with an immediate response. After all, it was a war. My final comment; had HICKS been caught in Vietnam, he'd come perilously close of being shot for the reasons I've already stated.

PAUL1405, I'm sure everyone would now agree, this topic has run it's course, well and truly. I believe I owed you some clarification. I can only hope it is satisfactory to you ?