IRISH SETTLEMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 June 1922, Page 5

IRISH SETTLEMENT

CLAIMED TO BE FINAL.

MR CHURCHILL’S SPEECH.,

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, June 15.

It is semi-officially announced that an agreement on all points at the Irish Conference in London has been reached.

Mr Arthur Griffiths hopes to return to Dublin to-morrow, when Mr Churchill will outline the settlement to the House of Commons.

Government circles say that they believe the Irish Conference has secured a final settlement. It includes provision to secure representation in the Free State Legislature for the Unionist minority in Southern Ireland. It is also understood that Mr Churchill has plainly intimated to Sir James Craig that it was the Northern Government’s duty to have kept order in Belfast, in return for Britain’s assistance given for the safeguarding of Ulster’s frontier.

LATER—

Mr Churchill, in the Commons, said that in the Government’s opinion, the Irish constitution conformed to the Treaty. The Irish elections probably would bo completed on Thursday, and every effort would be made to get the draft constitution published at the earliest moment. He hoped to hear immediately when the Provisional Government intended to publish. In the meantime he thought it prudent to de. for his statement until the latter part of next week, as there was nothing of special urgency to deal with at the present moment.

ELECTION PROSPECTS.

LONDON, June 15.

The “Daily Chronicle’s” Dublin correspondent states: “Ireland is little interested in the London negotiations, because all attention is focussed on the doings in Belfast. The encouraging progress in London, however, has already alleviated the pessimism which has latterly weighed heavily on the public mind of the country. It is expected that the Irish Constitution will bo published on Friday, which is the polling day. The Constitution cannot influence the electors. The debate on this constitution in the Provisional Free State Parliament -will occupy four or five weeks. It is becoming more and more doubtful whether Mr de Valera will be a member of the new Government, though it may contain a subordinate member of his group, as its nominee. The repeated statements of the Sinn Fein leaders, principally those of Mr Collins, indicate that the dual of the Coalition will hardly appear at all in the new Coalition Government, whose principal function will be to restore order and discipline in Ireland.

Mr de Valera has been conducting a whirlwind electoral campaign, working in conjunction with other Dail Eireann Coalitionists.

The Independents have generally taken things somewhat quietly. Labour- is practically the only organisation, apart from the Coalition, which has held public meetings. No surprises, however, are anticipated as the result of Friday’s polls.

DE VALERA’S NEW POLICY.

LONDON, June 15. -"Speaking in support of the Panel candidates in Dublin, Mr de Valera said that both sides felt it necessary to put aside the question of the Treaty in the national interests. Seeing that, the nation was threatened from without, and that Ulster created a problem calling for united action by the Dail, they agreed to forego their present differences and formulate a. common policy. SUMMARY OF CONSTITUTION Recd. Noon LONDON, June 15. The Irish Constitution has been published. It says that the Free State is a co-equal member of the community of nations forming the British Commonwealth. Everyone do-

miciled in the Free State area, who is of Irish birth, or has been domiciled 7 years is a citizen. The national language is Irish but English is equally recognised as the official language. No religious discrimination is made, and free expression of opinion is allowed. Parliament consists of the ' King, a Chamber of Deputies, and a Senate. Members are to take an oath to bo faithful to King George, his heirs, in virtue of Ireland’s membership of the British Commonwealth. The executive authority is to be vested in the King, advised by an Executive Council, responsible to the Chamber, consisting of 12 Ministers, of whom four will be members of the Chamber, and eight non-members of Parliament. These eight will be chosen by a committee of the Chamber, so as to impartially represent the Chamber. Ministers who are members of Parliament shall alone be responsible for external affairs. ,

CATHOLICS AND ULSTER LONDON, June 15. 1 The “Daily Chronicle’s” correspond-

ent at Dublin says : Public opinion in *26 of the 32 counties of all Ireland is now convinced that an attempt is being made in Belfast to exterminate, or to expel, the Catholic minority in Ulster, who are there unprotected. The Northern people’s passions are be-

ing inflamed by the fact that there are now hordes of Catholic refugees who are streaming across the Ulster border into the Free State. The succouring of these refugees is a serious problem. Mr ChurchilJ, replying to a question in the House of Commons as to

whether it is intended to hold an enquiry into the action of the British forces at Pettigo and Belleek, stated that the Government does not intend to hold an enquiry. AN ATTACK REPULSED. 1 LONDON, June 14. There was a romantice attack made on Kilyleigh Castle which was built cn King John’s reign. It belongs to Colonel Hamilton, who is a brother of the Dowager Marchioness of Dufferin, both being well-known Ulster Unionists. The castle had been expecting an attack for months. Some ingenious secret defences were laid down, by which a garrison were advised in the event of any Sinn Fein attack. When it commenced, Colonel Hamilton, who is an old man, led a party of Ulster special constables, who manned the castle battlements. They fired into the darkness. The raiders were surprised, but they responded vigorously in an exchange of vollies. Finally the Sinn Feiners were beaten off.

Their' losses arc not known. LATEST OUTRAGES. LONDON, June 14. The bodies of two unknown persons, with their hands tied behind their backs -were found on the roadside near Camlough, riddled with bullets. A huge cavity, believed to have been caused by the explosion of a land mine, separated the bodies. * LONDON, June 15. Irregulars during the last three weeks have made 300 raids on the Free State side of the border to prevent merchandise from black listed Belfast and Londonderry firms reaching Donegal. Irregulars occupied Inchfort, formerly one of the Lough Swilly defences, evicting the British ex-soldier caretaker. Aimed men poured petrol on and set fire to a large block of buildings tenanted by linen and -other business men. The Newforth Weaving and Parer Box Factory, Belfast, was burned, the damage aggregates £70,000.