BITTER WORDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 15, 28 October 1932, Page 5

BITTER WORDS

FREE STATE PENSIONS DEBATE.

MINISTER AND EX-MINISTER.

"BULLY AND EXECUTIONER."

(United Press Association—Copyright.) DUBLIN, October 26.

"God knows I don't want to revive hatred and bitterness," said General Mulcahy (formerly Minister of Defence) when tabling amendments to the Pensions Bill in the Bail, withholding pensions from persons who had shot members, of the Provisional Government and other officials.

Mr F. Aiken, Minister of Defence, retorted saying that if General Mulcahy wanted trouble he would get all he wanted. Recalling his service under General Mulcahy, he said: "I burned sixteen trains at General Mulcahy's orders using whisky, not petrol, and Avas praised for it. General Mulcahy, showed himself to be a bully and behaved brutally when a victor. We want these pensions for the dependents of the men he executed."

'■'■'lk'TQ EXPEND ANNUITIES. DE VALERA'S INTENTIONS. LONDON, October 27. The special Dublin correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," understands that Mr de Valeva is convinced that there is not the slightest chance of his viewpoint being accepted by Britain, and has decided to devote the accumulated land annuity payments, now totalling over £2,00,000, to the purposes of the Free State, including strengthening the position of his own political party.