IRISH CONDITIONS

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4577, 1 May 1922, Page 1

IRISH CONDITIONS

MURDERS IN NORTH AND SOUTH. COLLINS' ANGRY LETTER. (By Electrlo Telegraph— Copyrignt) (Aust. and N.Z. Cable. Association London, April 29. In Dail Eircami, Mr Griffiths announced that the situation of the country was so grave that tho Government felt Dail must continue in session. Events like, the terrible murders in Dunmanway and tho seizure of the customs and excise officers in Clonmel required the exorcise of Dail's utmost strength. Dail Eireann adjourned without division on tho motion for the appointment of a committee of live to try to bring about unity in the army. It is hoped that between now and Wednesday moans may be found to settle tho crisis. Mr Collins, in an angry letter to Sir James Craig, accused him of writing for propaganda purposes, for use in the newspapers of tho British Press, "which is playing such an important part in the game of disunion of our country. I have shown a dosire to moot you, but have not met with similar co-operation from ' yourself and your colleagues. On the contrary, you havo shown, at least, reluctance to make even the slightest effort to interfere with the unrestrained violence of savago mobs under your jurisdiction, though I mako all allowances for inability to deal with tho barbarians in your midst." PROTESTANTS ISSUE MANIFESTO. TROUBLE NOT RELIGIOUS. The secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council states that sinco February the Sinn Feinors have murdered in Belfast 51 Protestants, also nine servants of tho Crown. There had also been 110 attempted murders, resulting in serious wounding. Tho Anglican Primate and the Presbyterian and Wesleyan conferences in Ulster have issued a manifesto repudiating the allegation by Roman Catholic Bishops at Maynooth that Catholics were being subjected to savago persecution. The manifesto says: "Trouble in Belfast is political, not religious. We and our people are doing everything in our power to prevent it becoming religious." Tho manifesto invites the Bishops to unite in an endeavour to discountenance violence-, by whomsoever committed.

PEACE CONFERENCE FAILS. London, April 29. The Lord Mayor of Dublin .summoned a peace conference, consisting of tho Archbishop of Dublin, Messrs Do Valera, Brughs, Griffiths, Collins and representatives of Labour, but it dissolved, failing to reach a basis of agreement after a three hours' discussion. Tho Provisional Government submitted three proposals: Firstly, tho elections to be held in Juno on the Treaty and Constitution, opponents agreeing not to attempt to obstruct, after the election, and Dail Eireann to bo dissolved and another election to be held to ratify or reject tho constitution; secondly, the election to bo held in Juno on tho Treaty issue only; and thirdly, a plebiscito of adults for acceptance or rejection of the Treaty.

MURDER RAIDS. London, April 28. Sinn Feinors, following up a campaign of murder of Protestants in West Cork, commenced on Thursday, murdered fivo more to-day. The victims wero the Rev Richard Harbord, of the Irish Episcopal Church, who was murdered in his rectory. Several others were sought out at their homes and murdered. Other houses wero visited, but the occupants escaped. Mr Chinuery, a farmer and- a fine athlete, who was universally respected in tho district, was awakened by loud knocking, and told by armed men to put a horse to a cart. While doing so he was shot dead.