Interview with Ray Blisset (When the war came to Australia).

Mr Ray Blisset was a Detective Constable stationed at Glebe at the outbreak of the war. He describes the blackmarket in tinned fish, butter, etc. Wharfies did a lot of blackmarketing, with many criminals becoming wharfies as it was a protected industry. He describes the thriving business in printing coupons. There was a blackmarket in beer, selling quarts to the American soldiers. Mr Blisset comments that during the war there was not much violent crime, but house-breaking and shop-breaking were common. According to Mr Blisset, the worst treated body of people during the war years in Australia was the NSW Police force. They suffered very tough conditions, were not allowed to join up. He describes the prostitution situation, and the drug scene - the drug squad during the war consisted of two men. Mr Blisset's opinion of the Americans was that they were a gun-happy lot of cowboys. Well-dressed and well-paid, casual in their attitudes. SP book making is described, along with horse racing, and the rackets in petrol and tyres. Mr Blisset dealt with many men on AWL. He discusses the Domain, the speakers and rabble rousers. There were less police as the war went on - retirees, no recruitment, therefore more work, poor wages, poor accommodation, no prospects for promotion.