IRELAND

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXX, Issue LXXX, 27 April 1920, Page 5

IRELAND

POSITION STILL UNSATIS-

FACTORY.

TERRORISM DRIVING FARMERS

TO THE NORTH.

&X CABCTS -VKSSS ASSOCIATION—f OFXEIGIft

LONDON, April 25. One hundred and fifty Irish prisoners im Wormwood Scrubbs prison demand tneir release. The majority nave been hunger-striking since Wednesday. On© has already been released and sent to a nuio.ng nome owing to heart trouble, and ocuers are reported to be reaching a state of collapse. Members of the Irish Self-Determina-tion League of Great Britain decided to repeat the scenes outside Mount joy prison at Wormwood Scrubbs. ' Seven thousand sympathisers, representing eighteen branches, assembled with three bands of Irish pipers, carrying Republican flags. A priest recited the Rosary an irisn. The crowd cneered when handkerchiefs were waved from windows, which were answered by c-neers" from inside.

: Later, flames were seen inside the prison, and it was rumored that tne tomn -c'eaiers weie setting fire to their blankets. Every head in the' crowd was uncovered when the Irish pipers played . < w>d Save Ireland." 'ihe prisoners inside joined m singing "The Wearing ot the Green." There were no disorders. The Sunday Times says Sinn Fein now controls about 200,000 fighters, lhey believe increasing 'guerilla warfare will wear down the Government resistance. The success of the Irish Executive's experiment of a milder regime ie doubtful, as the rebel movement is beyond the; control of the more moderate Sinn Feiners, or even the Church. The Belfast correspondent of the Observer says that owing to agrarian terrorism a hundred southern and western fanners are seeking farms in"'North Ireland Many others are going to England. It is alleged some farmers are relinquishing their properties under threats of death. Constable McCarthy was waylaid at ! Clonakilty (County Cork) and fatally shot. Lord French sailed for England He was strongly guarded. A large party of armed men at Innie- I hannon (Cork) ambushed three con- i Stables on patrol duty. They fired a volley without warning, shooting Sergeant Croan in the heart, and blowing off Part of Constable McGoldrick'e nead. The third constable escaped.