BOUNDARY DISPUTE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 28 April 1924, Page 5

BOUNDARY DISPUTE.

A SERIOUS CRISIS. /

BY CABLE—PEESS ASSOCIATION- COPYEIGHT

LONDON, April 25. The newspapers vegard the Irish deadlock as the most serious crisis since the treaty was signed. Mr J. H. Thomas (Colonial Secretary) has exhausted every avenue to reconcile the parties, but the Ulsterites are adamant, and refusd to yield an inch of territory during the six hours' debate.

Some sources suggest that the' Government will hesitate to pass special legislation, but may, convene an AllIrish conference in the hope of a miracle occurring. The fact that the delegates are remaining in London is believed to foreshadow an interview with the Prime Minister (Mr, Ramsay Mac Donald).

The Belfast correspondent of the Evening Standard states that Ulster is determined to line the, frontier with her own troops if the British force is withdrawn.

4 The Irish Times pleads with the parties to compromise instead of incurring the risk of anarchy and civil war.

LONDON, April 26. A Dublin message states that Mr W. Cosgrave (President of the Dail Eireann.),, referring to the boundary conference breakdown, said that there was no alternative to the boundary commission. It would be the duty of the executive council to renew their request to have the machinery of the commission set up so that its work may proceed.

The Parliamentary correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the Government regards the boundary question as an Irish question, and is anxious that it should be settled by Irishmen. A tense situation has arisen between the Free State and Ulster over the boundary deadlock. It is expected the Free State will ask Mr Mac Donald to legislate, enabling the boundary commission under the Irish Treaty to be sanctioned to proceed with the delimitation, despite Ulster's refusal to share in the work of the commission.