Sentence:  This acceptance applies to ‘<WSD>new chums</WSD>' in Australia as well as the folks at Home. Much of the evidence that Australians disliked ‘<WSD>new chums</WSD>' comes from Alexander Harris who, as a ‘<WSD>new chum</WSD>' himself, was quite well treated by the ‘old hands'. The emphasis of colonial disdain was on the ‘new' rather than the ‘chum'. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A newly arrived and inexperienced immigrant; a newcomer.