A FURTHER STEP

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 256, 10 August 1933, Page 5

A FURTHER STEP

NEARER A REPUBLIC. FREE STATE CONSTITUTION. AMENDING BILLS PREPARED. NO CONTACT WITH THE CROWN. VIRTUALLY NO GOVERNOR. VUnited Press Association—Copyright). (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 9. Mr de Valera intends to introduce in the Dail Eireann three Bills to amend the Constitution. The first will transfer from the .. Governor-General to the Executive Council the function of recommending purposes for which money may be appropriated. The second will remove the power of the Governor-General to withhold the King's assent to Bills. The third Bill will terminate the right of appeal to the King-in-Council. The Bills mark a further approach to a Republic. The effect will be virtually to abolish the office of GovernorGeneral and drop all contact with the Crown. ARMED GUARDS AT THE DAIL. MINISTER'S EVASIVE ANSWERS, (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 9. When the Dail Eireann met to-day, the Minister of Justice (Mr Ruttledge) evasively answered questions about the presence of armed guards. He said that the number of recruits for the new police force would mot exceed the deficiency of 456 in the numbers of Civio Guards. He would not say whether a certain Deputy was selecting the recruits. BAN ON PARADE EXPECTED. (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 9. A proclamation banning the parade of Blue Shirts at Dublin on Sunday is expected to be issued to-morrow. / DANCERS ATTACKED IN DUBLIN. POLICE USE THEIR BATONS. / LONDON, August 9. Amazing scenes took place at the first annual dance of General O'Duffy's Blue Shirts. A hostile crowd of 5000 gathered outside the ballroom in O'Connell Street, booing and hissing the arrivals which included the former GovernorGeneral (Mr John McNeil) his wife and all the former Ministers.

Mr W. T. Cosgrave arrived in a motor-car, showing signs of damage by stones, the windscreen being ed. Blue Shirts dashed out asking,* "Are you hurt, sir?" Mr Cosgrave replied with a grim smile "No, thank you." When Commandant Cronin, one of the Blue Shirt leaders, appeared tbo crowd rushed him and a man grabbed his tie. The police tackled the crowds and detained the man. Later, stones were thrown at the doors of the ballroom, several Bluo (Shirts being severely injured. The police charged with their batons but the crowd persisted in menacing everybody arriying» It was learned at midnight that Mr Cosgrave, who had intended making only a brief visit was unable to leave the ballroom, the police being unwilling to become responsible for his safe departure. i A later message stated that the crowd dispersed after several baton charges had been made. A number of persons were treated at the hospital for minor injuries. FARMERS TO ORGANISE. LONDON, The Cork correspondent of "The Times" states that the Fanners' Union of Southern Ireland has decided to establish a force to protect themselves against interference in their social rights. GOVERNMENT FEARS A COUP. DENTAL BY GENERAL O'DUFFY. LONDON, August 9. The Dublin correspondent of the "Daily Express" says that a sensational light has been thrown on the circumstances which prompted Mr de Vafcra (President of the Irish Free State Executive Council) to establish his new armed police force. It seems that the cenotaph erected in memory of Griffiths, Collins and O'Higgins, adjoins Parliament House. The Government was informed that, if the Blue Shirts were permitted to parade there in strength they intended to seize both the Government and Parliament buildings, which would be the signal for the seizure of other Govern-

ment buildings throughout the country. General O'Duffy and other Blue Shirt chiefs emphatically disclaim any such intention, either now or in the future. In the meantime the Government buildings and the Dail are swarming with guards armed with guns and teargas bombs.