FREE STATERS AND ULSTER

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 April 1922, Page 5

FREE STATERS AND ULSTER

MEETING OF DAIL EIREANN

BY CABLE -PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, April 26. tJorrespondence between Sir James j Craig (Premier of Ulster) and Mr j Michael ColJins (head of th© Irish Government) has been published. It commences with a letter from Mr Collins, on behalf of the Fxee State ! Government, refusing to co-operate with the Northern (Ulster) Governj ment on the Railway Commission until i vital clauses of the agreement are fulfilled, particularly those regarding the ! release of prisoners^ which Mr Collins I described as most unsatisfactory. Sir James Craig, in a lengthy reply, stated that the Northern Government was trying to carry out the spirit and letter of the agreement, but the Free State department as a whole were not showing the courtesy and consideration tk& Northern Government hoped for, and had taken action calculated to embarrass the Northern Government's administration. Despite the agreement, armed incursions into the northern territory continue. He regretted the disturbances in Belfast, but the Northern ■Government were hampered in suppres- j sing crime. With regard to prisoners, ! a large number had committed murders and other serious crimes. j Sir James Craig, in conclusion, earn- • estly asked Mr Collins to remember -ar j tide 11 of the agreement, and join him in asking their peoples to exercise re-: straint. j At a full attendance of the Dail Eir- •; eann Mr Arthur Griffith (leader of the'1 Assembly) complained of the obstruc- ■ tive tactics of opponents of the treaty, j instancing the suppression of Freeman's i Journal. The position of Ulster had , been aggravated by the treaty obstruc- ' tionists, who sought to impose a boycott.; after the pact was made, the* result being more massacres of Catholics. The elections of Southern Ireland will be held in June, and the right <of freedom of speech will be upheld. Mr Muleahy denounced the mutineers in vigorous terms, and detailed .their outrages, including raids on 331 .post offices. He said many prominent firms were closing their offices temporarily. ; A meeting of Irish bishops, held at Maynootb, issued a statement urging ■ acceptance of the treaty, denouncing resort to violence, and appealing for j non-interference with the elections. Commandant O'Neill, of the Third Cork Brigade of the Republican Army, was shot dead without warning when : accompanying other officers on a duty call to Hornibrook, a farmer, near Bandon. A member of Hor.nibrook's j family has been arrested. |