MUNITIONS FOR IRELAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 124, 25 May 1920, Page 5

MUNITIONS FOR IRELAND.

HELD UP BY RAILWAYMEN.

SOLDIERS INVADE SHIPS.

(By Cable.--Press Association—Copyright.) (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, May 24. The latest development of the Irish situation is the refusal of the Irish railway men to work the trains conveying Government munitions and military stores, and also Sinn Fein prisoners. They based their action on the refusal of British railwaymen to handle munitions for Poland, the Irish railwaymen declaring that they have an equal right to prevent the distribution of munitions which might be used- to kill Irishmen. Thus far soldiers have been employed as stevedores to unload shins which the dockers refuse to handle, but it is expected that signalmen and other Irish railwaymen will strike if military engineers are used to drive the trains. Much will depend on whether the executive of the National Union of Railwaymen approve the action of the Irishmen. Thus far the reply of Mr. J. H. Thomae, general secretary to the Railwaymen's Federation, has not been received.

The railwaymen refused to carry Sinn Fein prisoners to SHgo. A military lorry was used, but felled trees and stone barricades blocked all the roads around Ballinamore and the lorry only reached -Slig-o with the greatest difficulty.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)