MEETING CALLED OFF

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 August 1933, Page 5

MEETING CALLED OFF

O’DUFFY’S HAND FORCED CIVIC GUARDS IN HALL. ASSOCIATION ASSEMBLY BAN BATONS USED AT WATERFORD Umw Pres>a A.-*.->ouition —By Electric Tolegrapta Copyright.! DUBLIN, Aug. 24. General O’Duffy’s engagement to. address the .[National Guard Association at the Waterford Town Hall was abandoned after the Government had proclaimed the meeting illegal. Two hundred civic guards occupied the hall prior to the arrival of General O’Duffy, who conferred with the police superintendent and announced that the meeting would not be held.

Blue Shirt (National Guard) supporters had contended the association as an auxiliary of the National Guard was excluded from the ban, but the Government announced that associate membership of the National Guard was included in the ban; therefore the activities of women’s and youths’ branches were illegal. General O’Duffy from the steps of the Waterford Hotel' ,announced the abandonment of the meeting and was greeted with cheers from both sections. The crowd attacked a man, believed to be a member of the National Guard. The police drew their batons and disarmed several men who had sticks concealed under their coats. General O’Duffy decided to stay the night. He intends to proceed to other meetings arranged for Itriday and Saturday. There was an angry scene at a Limerick corporation meeting oyer the proposal of a civic welcome to be extended to Air de Valera when lie visits the city on August 27. A councillor protested that- Air de Valera “had the impudence to come to Limerick at -a. time when he was applying a coercion Act to a section of the neople.” On the Lord Alayor’s suggestion the proposal was withdrawn.