CAMPAIGN IN COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18135, 6 July 1922, Page 7

CAMPAIGN IN COUNTRY.

FREE STATE SUCCESSES.

MAIN CENTRES HELD.

REBELS BURN ORPHANAGE.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

CBe«L 6.5 p.m.) LONDON. July 4. It is announced in Dublin that Millmount birracks, the stronghold of the republicans in Drogheda., is in flames and Tree State troops are closing in. Unofficial reports state that fighting is proceeding in Sligo, -where republicans wrecked and burnt the police barracks and did much damage to the railway. They ah» destroyed the Louses of all Pro.testaats in Coloonsy.

Mr. Winston Churchill, in the House of Commons, stated that republicans burnt s.n orphanage for Protestant children at." Clilden, County Galway, saying that it -was " a reprisal for the loyalty of the inmates." The staff and 32 children were rescued and brought by a destroyer to Queenstown. An earlier official statement issued in Dublin declared that all the important centres in the provinces were now in the handa of Free State forces, including Athlone, Mullingar, Longford and TrimRepublicans were driven out of Nenagh barracks and abandoned Eoscrea, where eight were capturedRepublicans in the Clonmel area have resorted to conscription. Free State troops control mid-Tipperary, where Burne, the rebel leader, was captured with a quantity of arms. Free State troops also dominate Kilkenny County. Free State troops are patrolling Wicklow. They occupied the Town Hall, which the republicans hurriedly evacuated, leaving a quantity of explosives and muni* ikms. Nine, men were captured. A republican was shot in Donegal for cowardice in the face of it>& enemy. All the Northern Loyalists, who were kidnapped by republicans, have been released from Inchfort. Seventeen prisoners who were sentenced for looting at Dundalk, escaped from gaol. Friends supplied them -w7ih revolvers, and they drove off in. motor-lor-ries- The military gave chase, and the prisoners kept up a running fight, but ultimately were captured, one prisoner being seriously wounded. It is understood that the Free State Government is negotiating v»»th the Aircraft Disposal Board for the purchase of six fighting aeroplanes in *d.litiou to several larger bombing aircraft.