HOBO-RULE in NULLARBOR

From the Sydney Newspaper the Sun 1 Nov 1931 p. 7. 

Train Tramps On Trans-Continental Menace Lonely Settlers 

NOT all, but a great many of these train jumpers are moving, not for love of wandering, but to keep out of the hands of the police, who are watching for them in several of the six States. No fewer than 44 were discovered on one Trans-continental train between Kalgoorlie and Port Augusta last week. Most of these men have nothing in common with the sundowner, of afore time, except his desire to keep on the move.

They would never think of "humping Matilda" looking for work. Many af the men are migrants. They have drifted through the country, totally unfitted for it it in the first place, continually getting more disheartened, turned to the roads, got tired of tramping, and then stuck to the trains as the ideal means of free transport. Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta, and return, is their "beat." They will not venture beyond, as the police are there.

Imprisonment has no terrors for them, and they know they will not be put off it train to starve in the midst of, the Nullarbor Plain. Earlier in the piece this this tried, but after some tramps bad been later rescued it was decided that common humanity demanded that they be carried on to some place where they could get food and water.

The gallant hand of women, particularly, who live in isolated spots on the line, deserve better than constant terrorisation by these men, who demand food and the even more precious water. This may he combated to some extent bv the latest proposal for police to patrol the section, but they will probably only travel on the expresses. A far better putrol would, be to have a "flying squad" on a petrol mobile railway unit that could travel 30 m.p.h. and stop on surprise visits, or when signalled. This would give some remedy.

One thing is certain. The hobo menace on the great East-West railway is ever growing. Its sinister aspect is not that free rides are stolen. The men who ride the rods would never he able to afford a fare. But lately they have become more daring in attempting to pillage goods, and when thwarted have threatened sabotage.

Communism has instilled its insidious doctrine into receptive minds, and if the regular bands of hoboes now infesting the line are not broken up worse may come.

This is a band of fourteen unemployed, which months ago started a "hunger march" 

from Perth to Canberra.  Most of them have been "riding the rods" ever since.