Police and the townsfolk had a good reason to laugh in early 1930 when a chap, dare it be suggested a miner, daringly wore a pair of knee length shorts as he strode the hot and dusty streets; modesty was kept with the addition of golf stockings.

Although the debonair dresser wasnt charged with any misdemeanour, he was advised to return home and change into more appropriate attire.

This chap was a strutting about in the very latest fashion stakes of southern golfers to the chagrin of and mirth of the miners.

Thank goodness the golf stockings were later lost!

However the good hearted laughter along with the Beer Strike Committee shenanigans of the previous year did not last long.

Legal and distilled alcohol was liberally available and the effect of overindulging in the amber fluid resulted in several inebriated drinkers being charged with disorderly conduct for throwing rocks at private residences as they walked home.

One home owner took matters into his own hands and scared the day-lights out of the revellers by firing his gun over their heads.

This incident was referred to in court as an unusual offence.

Early living conditions were difficult with no sanitation, little suitable housing or electricity, little security of mine work and too many liquor outlets. So it can be understood that tensions sometimes got out of hand with any slight incident, an excuse, for the workers to vent their frustrations.

And while many men would resort to a good fist fight, others saw an opportunity to vandalise property. As was to be expected minor altercations and mishaps were the order of the day in the Magistrates Court but the charges escalated late in 1933 when one George Thomas was charged with unlawfully wounding and grievous bodily harm.

He was found guilty of slashing a mans face with a razor and sentenced to one years hard labour at Stuart Creek prison in Townsville. Mount Isa quickly gained a reputation for unruly behaviour as was witnessed with rowdy scenes erupting in front of the magistrates court in early 1934.

Even when the Cloncurry Advocate called on the local authorities to try and control the increasing crime wave hitting Mount Isa, the petty rascals and career criminals were not perturbed. Police action was not always justified however as evidenced by their actions in handcuffing a 16 year old girl and removing her to the Duchess lock-up.

She committed no crime nor was she charged with any offence. Rather she was the innocent victim of an attempted kidnap and police believed she was better moved out of town, for the duration of the court hearings against her kidnapper.

And then Sergeant Honan arrived in town.

He was an old style policeman the sort needed in the rough and tumble days when the city attracted the drifters and dreamers who wanted to be in on the mineral jackpot. Sgt Honans arrival saw a drop in the crime rate but unfortunately the honeymoon didnt last long when several men were imprisoned for four days for jumping the rattler.

He had his heavy work cut out for him. Even with Honan in town, the Mount Isa Magistrates Court of the 1930s found offenders were undeterred by threat of prison as they saw this enforced holiday as a time to catch up with mates, smoke, talk, read and most importantly and get a regular feed!

For the juvenile offenders at the time, there was no appropriate detention facility and so they were would be charged and then allowed to remain in town only to reoffend.

Not to be deterred in enforcing law and order, Sgt Honan concentrated on closing down the many illegal (liquor and brothel) establishments including two-up games.

One night moving undercover, he ventured into a street game on the corner of Miles and Marian Streets and took on the betters at their own game. Suffice to say, the game ended on the toss of the coins, the tosser lost the bet and to add insult to injury he copped a five pound fine.

Sgt Honan was in town to clean up.

The miners respected only one thing a straight talking nonsense approach. The large number of spectators at each court hearing were now required to view proceedings from the surrounding verandah and through the windows.

Being charged with unorderly conduct was no deterrent to imbibe the demon drink and during May Day celebrations of 1940 one lad J.D. McLean was heard to call a local police officer a blank mug copper with surcingles around him. A scuffle ensured, McLean was handcuffed the police officers watch was broken and for which McLean was eventually convicted.

Sgt. Honan was reported as saying: The ingenuity of offenders trying to explain away their misdemeanours, never ceases to amaze me.

And such was the 1949 court case, when a local man was accused of the theft of 450 pounds from Mrs Lynch, a local wife and mother.

Described as a defence lawyers nightmare, the young offender slowly but surely exhibited foot in mouth disease, firstly denying the theft and then secondly saying the money had been won on a good trot at the races. However his campaign for innocence was quickly undone when the court heard he had tried to wash the notes thereby emanating a ghastly stench which, the Cloncurry Advocate reported, was the initial complaint of excreting and offensive odour.

On investigation, the police found 450 pounds of freshly laundered notes, the exact amount that Mrs Lynch had reported stolen from her home. The moral of the story, cleanliness is not always the best method to conceal theft.

Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton. Photographs supplied by North Queensland Historical Collections.

- Kim Maree Burton