IRISH POLITICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21757, 23 March 1934, Page 9

IRISH POLITICS

BILL BANNING UNIFORMS REJECTION BY THE SENATE (Received March 22, 5.5 p.m.) DUBLIN, March 22 The Dail to-day accepted the Senate's amendment to the Defence Forces Bill. The Senate rejected the second reading of the Blue Shirts Bill banning the wearing of uniforms. This means that the bill will be held up for 15 months (unless there is a general election in the meantime) when it will automatically become law after 60 days. GENERAL O'DUFFY QUESTION OF A TRIAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL BARRED DUBLIN, March 21 The High Court, by a majority verdict, torday made absolute a conditional order prohibiting the military tribunal trying General O'Duffy on a charge of sedition and inciting to murder. However, the Court held that the tribunal was competent to try him on a charge of being a member of an unlawful association. Mr. Justice Hanna said there were times when the Legislature might legitimately clip the wings of individual freedom and liberty of thought and action. The civil population must submit, for the general good, to strict discipline, but the "claim of the Attorney-General, Mr. Conor A. Maguire, K.C., that the military tribunal was superior to the Court was flagrantly extreme.. Judge Hanna criticised the composition of the military tribunal of three army officers, asking whether they were better qualified than three jurors, between able counsel, to administer the law. General O'Duffy was entitled to trial by jury on charges of sedition and incitement to murder.