IRISH PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 June 1922, Page 5

IRISH PARLIAMENT

DE VALERA UNOPPOSED. NOMINATION SURPRISES * j (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 6. ] The nominations for the Irish elec- ! tions show that with the exception x of Mr de Valera and three others, t every Dail Eireann leader, whether for . or against the Treaty has to go- to , the poll. There has been a withdrawf al of four Independents in County b Clare and thus de Valera has secured i a walk-over in County Clare. > Thirty members of the present Dail s Eireann have been re-elected unop--1 posed in six constituencies. j Eighty candidates other than tho ' panel have been nominated for the ’ City and the County of Cork, thereby causing something of a sensation. Cork City is entitled to a representation of four, and such opposition to the 1 panel four, including Air Walsh and Miss MacSwiney, was not expected, but the commercial community has submitted Air Beamish, a prominent brewer, and Air Daly, chairman of the Cork Harbour Commissioners whose return is regarded as certain. County Cork returns 11 members, but the opposition is less formidable. The outgoing members number only four in favour of the Treaty, but a majority of the people favour the Treaty. The Farmers’ Union nominated three, and Labour two candidates in the country. At the request of the panel representatives, one of the Farmers’ nominees, who is a Sinn Feiner, and a pro-Treaty man, has withdrawn. The others declined to withdraw. A feature of the nominations has been the number of llth-hour withdrawals, leaving Coalition panel candidates unchallenged. Contests are taking place in both Air Griffith’s and Air Collins’s constituencies. ULSTER WARFARE. LONDON, June 7. Following on the shelling of the Republicans at Pettigo, on the Ulster border, the Irregulars have tried to entrench themselves in a stronghold on the Belleck salient, where the task of the Britsh troops may be more formidable, as the position is more extensive, and- easier to defend than Pettigo was. The base of the salient extends eight miles on the northern shore of Lough Erne, and embraces an ancient fort situated in Donegal. The old fort is garrisoned by some Irregulars who are flying a green flag, and are commanding the town of Beleck. A stout resistance is expected, as the defenders are feverishly constructing some sandbag defences. Consequent on Ulster’s prohibition of shipping and transport, the Donegal merchants chartered steam launches to bring their goods from Glasgow. The Irish Provisional Government has guaranteed them the conveyance of supplies from Donegal ports to their destinations in motors protected by armed Free State Guards. A later message states the prohibition was withdrawn, as a result of the protest by the Londonderry wholesale houses, which resolutioned strongly condemning the order, which is totally opposed to the views of the Derry traders. A WOMAN'S DARING. LONDON, June 6. The London newspapers are' now giv ing much prominence to Airs Laverton, the so-called Woman of Lough Erne who is aboard her yacht Pandora on the lake. She commandeered a fleet of small boats for the transport of British soldiers, who are thus made able to < take the Sinn Feiners in the rear. Some of the boats which she has comandeered were in Sinn Fein waters, } I and the Sinn Feiners are greatly chagrined, never believing that a woman would venture on bullet-swept waters. It is reported that Airs Laverton wore a dainty pistol in her belt, and tl at on one occasion she stalled off a Sinn Fein raid by mounting a big brass telescope in the bow of the boat, and pre- 1 tending it was a machine gun.

HOSPITAL ATTACKED.

LONDON, June 7 British aeroplanes are reconnoitring in Ftnnanagh frontier. The police rounded up a party of men and women on Carrick Hill. They found boots (?) concealed in the women’s clothing, and there were revolvers on the men. Peter Ward and John McMullan were’ remanded at Belfast on a charge of murdering Constable Roulstom- on Thursday. A military witness identified the prisoners as two of a party of men who ran away after the shooting. He said his patrol fired a shot and hit one man of the party, who was dragged into a house. Members of the medical staff protest at the atrocious attack made on a maternity hospital ward at Belfast. They say the inmates were terrorised for 45 minutes, . as bullets swept through wards and flattened themselves against the walls. Some helpless invalids flung themselves from the beds. Nuns and nurses vainly attempted to allay their terror. Other wards, contained men and boys, many of whom were wounded in the recent rioting. One boy, whose feet were tied to a weight, hung out of bed,. being unable to free himself. Another, aged 11, with an amputated leg, lay helpless in terror. All lights were extinguished in the hospital, hoping the shooting would cease. The hospital adjoins a gaol. The attack may thus have.been due to an error, but if so, it was a fiendish folly. CAPTURED DOCUMENTS. Recd 10 a.m. LONDON, June 7. The “Daily Sketch” publishes a

document which is in possession of th( Northern 'Government, and was captur ed in a raid at Edymore. The document is dated April 15, anc was issued from the headquarters ol the North Division of the 1.R.A., setting forth that the objective is a republic for an undivided Ireland, and if necessary the constitution must go. Another earlier document directs the general destruction of the enemy’s wires and bridges, and the property or prominent Orangemen, with prompt reprisals of six to one. Spies and informers are to be shot at -sight without mercy. PETTIGO FIGHTING. I.R.A. VERSION. LONDON, June 6. The Irish Republican Army version of the incidents at Pettigo as embodied in an official report, has been issued from the general headquarters of the Irish Republican Army at Beggars Bush. It asserts that the shelling of Pettigo, the killing of seven members of the Irish Republican Army, and the capture of others, were entirely unprovoked, and states that with the exception of a portion of one street, which is in County Donegal, the Irish Republican Army garrison there was strictly ordered not to fire unless fired on. It denies as false and malicious the statement that British troops were fired at from Free State territory. On June 3 and 4, eight shells were fired at Pettigo from the surrounding hills. On Sunday, while the congregation were coming out from Alass, British armoured cars rushed the town and gave the Irish Republican Army 15 minutes to clear out. The Irish Republican Army officers ordered the men to evacuate. As they were retreating they were fired on by the British armoured cars, and the specials supporting the military. Alembers of the Irish’ Republican Army in some cases replied. It was then that Driver Crossley was killed. ’

AAIERICAN GUN RUNNERS. Recd 2 p.m. WASHINGTON, June 7. Air Lasker is investigating the British seizure of the Seattle Spirit in Tialee Bay on June 5. He declared that a shipment which was ostensibly 40 barrels of lard really contained ammunition, and had been assigned to Alanhattan and Go’s, agency in Ireland. Tfio Department of Justice will begin stringent action as soon as full particulars have been received.