IRISH ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21319, 25 January 1933, Page 7

IRISH ELECTIONS

ISSUE IN DOUBT

COUNTING BEGINS TO-DAY

Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, January 24.

The Dublin correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ emphasises that the election issue is doubtful. On a straight vote Mr Cosgrave is assured of a working majority, but proportional representation may produce a different result, although the odds are slightly in his favour.

The counting will be begun on Wednesday, and it is expected that the small constituencies will be known by evening, but the complete results will not bo available till the week-end.—Lon-don ‘ Times ’ cable.

AT THE POLLS

UNEXPECTED PEACEFULNESS

LONDON, January 24. (Received January 25, at 1.30 p.m.) There was a steady stream of Free State voters all day long. There were very few disorders, though the Lord Mayor (Mr Byrne), who is a small man, was the hero of a bout of fisticuffs in Dublin when an aggressive De Valerite struck him while he was touring the polling booths. Mr Byrne retaliated and knocked his assailant down.

Mr De Valera spent the polling day in his constituency (Clare). Mr Cosgrave returned to Dublin from* Cork escorted by members of the Free State army in an armoured car.

There was some intimidation of Cosgraveites in the country districts, also a considerable number of impersonations of voters, while occasional attempts were made to put Cosgraveite motor cars out of action by spreading nails on the roads, but generally a day of he'avy polling concluded with unexpected peacefulness.