IRELAND FOR TREATY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 7

IRELAND FOR TREATY .

verdict; of the election. 73 PER CENT. OF VOTES CAST. DIFFICULTIES BEFORE DAIL. By Telegraph—Presa . Association— Copyright. (Received 8.5 .p.m.) :•. , A. and N.Z. LONDON. Sept. 3. The position of parties in the Irish Free State, with only four election returns outstanding, is as follows:— ' ■ Government ... B » a • 62 Republican . A •a• ... ~ 43 Independents , a .« . . 15 Labour .. >. .' \». .. 15 Farmers .. .. . . .. 14 The general feeling in all parties is that the Republicans will take the oath and enter'the Dail. Although sharp division of opinion is expected in their ranks, the feeling is gaining strength that the Republican cause would be better served by a strong minority in the Dail. The release of 1500 prisoners, including 12 Republican members of the Dail, depends upon the surrerider of arms, which the Chief of Staff declares have been dumped. - ••■'■"'•-. An official statement, issued in Dublin, declares that the Irish Free State is massed behind the ! treaty, for which 73 per cent, of • 1,000,000 votes polled were cast. Provincial Irregular leaders obtained only 63,000 votes, while Ministers responsible for the Government on the past year polled 134,000 votes. The Republican weekly journal, Sinn Fein, declares that the election is beneath contempt It accuses the Government, among other ■•.' things, of raiding election rooms, arresting electors, and firing on election meetings. There is talk of tho Republicans reconsidering their decision not to .take seats in the Dail, though it is not explained how they will sit without taking the oath. It is pointed out that if the Republicans are able to take their seats they and the Labour Party would form a formidable Opposition.

Mr. ■ Darrell Figgins, who assisted in drafting the Irish Constitution, writing in the Sunday Times, says the new Dail will not contain a live Opposition. It will be a one-sided House, for the Republicans will not take their seats. i hey will wait for the swing of the pendulum, which is the common experience of all countries, but whereas in other countries the swing is operated within Parliament from one side or the other of the popular House, the danger in Ireland is that it operates between Ministerialists inside the House and Republicans outside. The effective working of the Constitution will certainly be a matter of great difficulty with an overbalanced House.

DE VALERA'S DEPUTY. ELECTION CELEBRATIONS. CLASH WITH STATE TROOPS. Renter. LONDON. Sept. 2. The election of a Republican .ActingPresident, Patrick Rutledge, was celebrated at Ballina, North Mayo, by bonfires. A number of Republicans joined in the rejoicing. A military patrol from Killala arrived and received a volley, a corporal being killed. A fight ensued, and several casualties are reported. Soldiers cleared the streets with fixed bayonets.