AFFAIRS IN ULSTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16120, 8 July 1914, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN ULSTER

FEARS OF AN OUTBREAK. (Fbok Ocb Own ■Corbksfondent. ) LONDON, May 29. There were fears that when tho Homo Rule Bill passed its thud reading i/i tho Lnrite on Monday these, would bu an outbreak in Ulster us the result of Nationalist jubilation. Every precaution was taken, and it is stated that largo bodies of the Ulster Volunteer Force were kept under short noiicu to parade in case ol necessity. Belfast was fast asleep by 11 p.m. and thero never was a suiter night in Ulster. Tho precautions were taken on both sides. On tho previous Sunday the Roman Catholic Bishop of Dorry enjoined on his people to avoid 4iU form of public jubilation, or unv mauiicstalion that could possibly bo construed into oifonsiveness by their political opponents. He called on his people to forbear and to remember that there were others whose feelings they should regard, who view tiio situation from a very dinVj.t. standpoint. Outdoor displays, ho said, made for no good, and often caused much trouble. To make assurance doubly sure the prieets in each district throughout the diocese of Derry and in Belfast paw-oiled the streets in tho evening, accompanied by some of ttioir leading parishioners, to prevent any disturbance.* In Belfast, it is said, although tho Ulster Volunteers were on guard ready to stop any demonstration, bonliro or _ celebration by" the Nationalist* in the Unionist territory, "there was not the slightest need for them, and the publicans believed they had a well-grounded grievance in the tact that their takings for the night were smaller than usual. The officer commanding the Derry Regiment of Ulster Volunteers issued an order to his men to eliow once more their forbearance and discipline by refraining from playing into tne hands of" tho present miserable and discredited Government and refusing _to be drawn into any controversy or not. ine force wae to assist the police if ncceesary "to control the more rowdy Nationalist element," and in order to make mobilisation in caso of necessity more efficient, the Volunteers were all asked to remain in their houses. Fortunately none of these measures were required. Iho occasion passed off as quietly as Dossiblo, making peoplo wonder once more- whether the prohibition of these provocative demonstrations by parties years ago would not haye healed many of the breaches of Utetor. It is only within the last few years that Derry has forborne to celebrate every year the anniversary of the closing of the gates and that of the raising of the siege. Tho Protestante still burn in effigy Colonel Lundy, who betrayed his command; but then, ae one ot them remarked to me, " a traitor ought to be burned, Protestant or Catholic.

STRENGTHENING THE POLICE. General Macready, who is m command of the troops in Ulster, ie busily moving about from point to point in the province, and is carofuily shadowed wherever he goes by members of the Ulster Volunteer toree Tho force, too, keeps a carerul surveillance upon all the troops in Ulster and every movement of any number of them is at once communicated to headquarters in the old Town Hall in Belfast. During the last week or so steady reinforcemente of police from the south and midlands of Ireland have been drafted into the Ulster stations. In all probability they are armed. Indeed tho Telegraph states categorically that those who passed through Dublin for the north "carried carbines, ' which doubtless were visible, "and several rounds of ball ammunition." of which more evidence is required. It is admitted, however, that strong drafts are being drawn from the rest of Ireland, to strengthen the Irish Constabulary in Ulster.

' EXCITEMENT IN TYRONE. The County of Tyrone, the buffer county of the North, has such an even distribution of views that one never knows which way an election will turn. It depends largely upon tho deaths during the period since tho previous election. On Wednesday the county elections were held throughout Tyrone, and there was tremendous excitement Voters came from as far afield as America, and when a steamer with one Unionist and seven Nationalist votes on board was held up at Moville, in Lough Foyle, it looked like the hand of an intriguer anxious to prevent them from \otins. Towards evening motors called at the different infirmaries throughout the county and carried off to the polls all voters who were at all fit to attend. Tyrone County Council has 29 members. Of these, seven sit by virtue of their position as chairmen of rural councils and two are co-opted. Of tho remaining 20 seats, there was a fairly even division, but this time Omagh returned to tho Nationalists, who now have 11 out of 20 seate. Four of the ex officio members are Unionists and two Nationalists, giving each side 13 members. Then Kiltyfaddy came to the rescue with another Unionist, and now the whole position turns on the complexion of two chairmen of ru,ral councils. One of these is a. Unionist and the other a Nationalist, and they arc both regarded as certain to give a casting vote for themselves so there is not much to come and go on in Tyrone. Lord Northland and the Duke of Abercorn were two of i the members elected unopposed. "OUR HANDS ARE FREE." Mr Redmond, on the night of the passing of the Bill, contributed a striking article to the Freeman's Journal. " To-day's division marks the dc-aih," he said, "after an inglorious history of 114 years, of the Union of Pitt and Castlereagh. That Union, the cause of Ireland's poverty, misery, depopulation and demoralisation, tho cause of famine, insurrection, and bloodshed, and of tho disloyalty of Irish people throughout the world, is dead, and its plaoo is to be taken by a new Union, founded; on mutual respect and goodwill between the two islands, «and to bo followed, I firmly believe, by a history of peace, prosperity, and loyalty." Mr Redmond goes on to show that there is nothing which can prevent the Bill automatically becoming law. As to the amending Bill, he says " Let there be no mistake about this; no amendment in tho Bill' is called for either by the Government themsolves or by the Irish party. We believe that the Bill is a good workable Bill, and that it is a charter of lfberty for the Irish people. But wo are practical politicians, and I hope, men of sense, and we all recognise that it is worth paying a great price to ensure that Home Rule will come irrto operation amidst universal goodwill, and to* prevent its being heralded by. civil commotion of any sort." He appealed to the Unionists of Ireland to abandon unreasonable demands and enter into a conciliatory discussion with tliodr fellowcountrymen upon points of the Bill upon which they would desire further safeguards. He says ho can see no prospect of the amending Bill becoming law if ( it does not contain ;-n agreement, and "m any case, failing agreement, the Irish party have made it plain that their liojkls are quite free to deal with any proposals that may be made."' ULSTER'S RESOLVE.

Replying, in a speech in South Wales, to Mr Kedmond's statement, Sir Edward Carson said: " The nfei of Ulster are now to bo told to march, out with our flag trailing in tho duet. But we will not go. We are ready to fight it out, even by tho u«e of force, to the bitter end. For, more than two years we have been jeered at for having wooden guns. The moment we change them for Mausers, ae we did the other day, they Ve not satisfied. ' What terrible ruffians you are,' they say. ' You sent round 148 dispatch riders all through Ulster, and within three hours 50,000 volunteers wore mobilised.' Yes, and within four or five hours we had 35,000 rifles in (iheir places, and three million rounds of ammunition. I know that was a breach of the law, but they have not dared to punish us for it. They, know perfectly well they cannot put Ulster down, and they arc not going to try to do it. " After two years of jeers about woodon guns, the Government suddenly founS out that' there might be something in all the drilling in Ulster, and they put a passage in the King's Speech declaring that it was tho duty of all good citizens of all parties to try to come to Rome arrangement. I do not see irruch approach towards any arrangement. It is quite true, that they offered to leave eome Ulster people out,to put a rope round our necks for eix years and then be hanged. I would rather be hanged to-night. Wo were offered something which they knew beforehand we should refuse, and I call that a hyprocritical sham.—(Cheers.) And When we refuse that bogus offer they put Belfast under a military Governor. He <s there still. We do not take the least notice of him. General Macrcady motors srbout tho country, calling at police and military barracks, and when he ia done he returns to UiLs hotel and thanks God he ie Military Governor of Belfast.—(Lauphter and cheers.)

" The Home Rule Bill has passed ite third readinsr by tricks and evasions—-'by methods which would disgrace any barbar'o Government. It may bo put upon tho Statute Book—l hope it will not —and it may become tihe law of tho land: but it will never bo tho law of Ulster.—(Loud cheers.) The Home Rule Bill is supnosed to be a message of peace to Ireland, but what ie the prosit picture? Fourteen about Belfast Txmcrh, police drafted in from nil parts of Ireland, soldiers confined to thoir bnrracks, and tho Lord Mayor koepinc tho pence of Belfast as throuuih the troops, but really through

the Ulster Volunteers, while above all there arc two hostile armirs standing face to face. What a way of launching a now Government in Ireland!' What a ' joy day ' for Ireland's emancipation! If all this nieaiifi anything, it means that the object is the foiiqueet of Ulster. If the (S-oveniment hold Ulster at all they will hold it ae a conquered province. And what will lie the result? Dissatisfaction born of tyranny, hatred, and coercion. What will Mr Kr<lniond and his Nationalist followers get out of it? They will commence their Government in Ireland with a hostile people in Ulster, the law will be defied, and they will not have a force equal to putting down those who defy the law."