PERILOUS SITUATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 27 March 1922, Page 8

PERILOUS SITUATION.

ANOTHER BORDER RAID FEARED

POSSIBILITY OF CIVIL WAR

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION-COPYRIGHT

(United Service.) (Received March 27, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 26. Irish events have thrust the political crisis into the background. The Northern Cabinet has been summoned to discuss the invitation to London on Monday. Meanwhile Sir James Craig has telegraphed Mr Churchill assurances for the earnest consideration of Downing Street's hopes for a successful outcome of the new conference, based on the Government's firm determination to avert the terrible shadow of civil war. The Premier's opportune recovery ana return is leading some well-inform-ed quarters to hint that he is speeding back to London because he is keenly desirous of attempting the role of mediator between the North and South. Unfortunately these optimistic assumptions must iead to the conjecture that the Irish situation is precarious. Events seem to be hastening from bad to worse, correspondents describing the position as full of peril, which only prompt action can avert. '< The Observer's correspondent, who is touring the danger zone, telegraphs that animosities were never so keen, and unless something is done a sanguinary outbreak is inevitable. Active military preparations are going on along the Northern frontier. Bridges have^been blown up and roads blocked. Troops are drilling through the belief (which the correspondent thinks not justified), that the Southern Irish Republican army is secretly massing troops some distance from the border for another extensive raid.

The same paper's Belfast correspondent thinks the Northern Cabinet is certain to accept the London invitation, being sincerely anxious to restore peace.