LARRIKINISM.

"LARRIKIN" is one of those terms of purely Australian coinage that have passed into general use. For expressiveness, it can hardly be surpassed by any similar application of a slang term denoting a class. It conveys much meaning in a few letters. Its birth or first application was purely accidental, like many other great discoveries. A policeman in a Melbourne court, when asked what the charge against two juveniles was, replied that he had found them "larrakin" on his beat. The magistrates were puzzled, and requested the Hibernian custodian of the peace to repeat the charge, and it was not till a barrister or lawyer in the court explained that the boys were "larking," i.e., playing mischievously, that they understood the offence with which the culprits stood charged. The incident was reported in the papers, and commented upon, and in a short time the word occupied a conspicuous place in the vernacular. The unconscious coiner of it meant to convoy that the boys were rude and rough, troubling the passers-by as well as himself, and so rendering themselves Hable to some slight punishment. It is now often applied to all young criminals alike, and its significance is greatly extended. The class of offences known as larrikinism has got to be such a nuisance and danger in Melbourne, that the Victorian Government is introducing a measure into the Legislative Council, for the purpose of dealing more effectually with the growing evil, by whipping the larrikins.

The class of offences which it indicates result for the most part from so many unemployed, untutored youths being allowed to roam the streets uncontrolled by parental or other authority. This again arises from lack of a necessity for every member of a family to work as soon as he or she is able to toil for a pittance; and perhaps in some degree from the comparative cheapness of food. The presence of the larrikin element in a community is perhaps a sign of prosperity, although a great nuisance in itself. Then again, one kind of larrikinism arises from an exhuberance of spirits taking a wrong direction. Instead of finding vent in useful occupation, or manly, healthy sports or pastimes, the superfluous spirits and excessive vitality of boys well-fed but uncontrolled by education, or refinement, or checked by properly exercised authority and example, burst out into impudent assumption, vicious lawlessness, and a desire to be thought daring and spirited. The evil must be great indeed in Victoria, when the legislature determined to treat larrikins as they do garrotters. In Sydney, our larrikinism appears to take a milder and less criminal form. But it appears that the word has been in some, measure misapplied. From reports that have appeared in the Victoria papers lately, we should imagine that the bill is meant to deal with the organised gangs of ruffians who roam the streets of Melbourne, " sticking up" public-houses, and insulting, maltreating, and even robbing foot-passengers. This growing savagery is scarcely larrikinism proper ; but it is decidedly proper to whip it down like all other offences of the kind. The feelings of the perpetrators of these outrages, who are chiefly hulking scoundrels of hobbledehoys from seventeen to twenty, can only be reached through their hides, and the lash is the only means of conveying a lesson to them. We trust the measure will be carried, feeling sure that the cowardice of the immature ruffian will deter him from incurring the risk of what, he would get if caught. In Sydney this class of criminals, though we hear occasionally of gangs of young scoundrels annoying and insulting people in the streets, do not go the lengths ascribed to their prototypes in Melbourne. We have, however, unfortunately, any number of the real unadulterated larrikin, the unkempt street arab, the wild, untamed boy scamp, always ready for mischief, and promising to emulate in time to come the evil deeds of his more advanced brother of Melbourne. It is saddening to see the numbers of uncared for, dirty, and seemingly homeless children, roaming about the streets even when night is far advanced, while the training ship Vernon, meant and kept at a great expense for their reception and maintenance, has not one half of her complement on board. Round the theatres and principal hotels, scores of these young rascals congregate, and either under the pretence of selling matches or giving an al fresco show of tumbling, render themselves a nuisance. They are unnoticed by the police ; occasionally a publican, whose customers they are annoying, or a policeman makes a point of chasing them down the street when they scamper off like disturbed rats only to return in a few moments. Where or how they live, or where they go after their night's devilment, we do not know ; but they seem to be the seeds of a fine crop of ruffians whose ill-deeds the Victorian Government contemplate checking by legislation. And this is but one phase of incipient larrikinism. There is the "respectable" larrikin ; boys with homes to go to and friends who should look after them, who infest the streets at night, and by their foul talk render walking undesirable to decent people. There always will be offenders of this kind in large cities, but it appears that they are unconscionably numerous in ours, and their daring is due to their not being "moved on" wherever found by the police, and, if necessary, "run in," as the modern phrase has it, so that an example or two may prevent the necessity of the sterner means proposed by the Victorian Council.

 Empire  23 September 1874,