IRISH CRISIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18541, 29 April 1922, Page 10

IRISH CRISIS

MEETING OF DAIL-FIREANN. SENSATIONAL DISCLOSURES MR GRIFFITH AND MR DE VALERA. BITTER RECRIMINATION. Preea Association—By Telegraph—Copyright : ■- ' y LONDON, April 27. Sensational disclosures were made at the Dail Eifeann meeting to-day. Mr, De Valera made' a violent speech, denouncing the Free State Government as being the sole cause of the present state of affairs. •Mr Griffith cried-. “I am not going to be silent any longer. Mr De Valera came back ’from. America whep T Was inmrisoni He; advised' the'members ofDail ' Eireahn to'. ease 'off 'the wkr. When' the' delegates were going to London Mv, De, Valera said, to me: ‘Neither you, nor any man can bring back the republic.’ He added : ‘Get me out of this strait-jacket of a republic.’ ” Mr De Valera, white with rage, rose.amid tumult and shouting, and said; “It is an absolute falsehood.”.- Mr Griffith replied: “It is true. ,M? U® Vißjera. can go oh‘‘denying it as long'as he likes.”:— A. and N.Z. Cable. ... ’ 1 To other interruptions. Mr • Griffith "retorted.: “I am not going to be intimidated by any gunman here.” Mr Griffith continued : “Mr De Valera told me that there may have to be scapegoats.. I and Mr Collins are quite willing to be scapegoats if it is for the good of Ireland.” Mr Griffith then accused Mr E. Childers of having been in " the. Secret Service of England. . When Mr, Chjldeys indignantlydenied "it Mr Griffith" said he woiiud give Mr- Childers the whole ' history. Mr Griffith concluded: “You may assassinate us, but vojj won’t intimidate us.” —A. and N.Z. Cable. ACCEPTANCE OF TREATY. URGED BY BiSHOPS. - VIOLENCE DENOUNCED. ' LONDON, April 26. A meeting of Irish bishops held at Maynooth issued a statement urging the acceptance of the treaty, denouncing the resort- to violence, and appealing for noninterference with the elections. —Reuter. FIGHTING IN MULLINGAR. REBELS AND FREE STATERS POPULACE PANIC-STRICKEN. PROMINENT CITIZENS SHOT,DEAD. LONDON, April 27. A conflict between the regulars and irregulars broke out in Mullingar to-day. Both sides used rifles and machine guns. The fighting lasted . for two hours. Two men were killed and several wounded. It is alleged that the Free Staters launched the attack. ■The populace -is panic-stricken, and the shops are closed. , Last night armed men visited Dunmanway, West Cork. Much rifle and revolver firing occurred. Later thi-ee prominent citizens were'found shot-dead.—A. and N.Z. Cable. ’ DUNMANWAY VICTIMS. LONDON, April 28. (Received April 28, at 7.45 p.m.) The Dunmanway victims include a solicitor, aged 82, and* a drapery aged . 83. All were Protestants. —A. and; N.Z. - Cable. HOW THE FIGHT STARTED. LONDON, April 27. i (Received April 28, a£ 5-5 p.m.) An official Dublin message states that three unarmed soldiers from the Mullingar Barracks were arrested by mutinous troops at a barber’s shop, and three others were arrested in the street. Accordingly Free State troops surrounded the barracks of the rebels and sent an ultima-turn demanding the release of the--prisoners, failing which the barracks would be stormed. Captain Casey, who was sent with the message, was shot from -a window of the and fighting commenced, during which the driver of a rebel lorry was shot and 25 men in the lorry. captured. At a second attempt a messenger took the message to the rebels, who agreed to hand over the six prisoners in exchange for six of their own men. It was then found -that three of the Free State men were wounded. The Free Staters captured much ammunition and rifles,—A. and N.Z. Cable'. A USELESS ADVENTURE. REBELS BLAME FREE STATERS. LONDON, April 27. The irregulars, who occuny Four Courts, Dublin, have issued a statement that the Free State forces were undoubtedly the aggressors at Mullingar, where each side had one killed and two wounded. They added that it was unfortunate that lives should be lost in .such a useless adventure. Free State reinforcements are expected at Mullingar.—A; and N.Z. Cable. CRIME IN “BELFAST. NEW SYSTEM OF PUNISHMENT.-. THE “CAT” INTRODUCED. LONDON, .April 2/. Belfast 'judges Have inaugurated a system of, dealing ■, severely with .rioters. Frederick Lemon, .who was convicted , on charges in connection with several holdups, was sentenced to three years’ - imprisonment and 15 lashes of the cat. The prisoner shouted, “Thank you.” James Flynn %vas sentenced”' to 18 months' imprisonment for being in possession of arms. He turned to the policeman who had given evidence and. shouted V “I ’may live to come.; out. That than won't be alive to s,ee me:’’ .The- judge immediately doubled the sentence to three years. Others were sentenced to from three to five years for being m possession of explosives.—A-. and N.Z. Cable. THE COMING ELECTIONS. . NO POLLING STATIONS FIXED. ' , LONDON, April 27. The Cork County Council has decided to fix no polling stations -at the forthcoming elections.—A. and N.Z. Cable. ULSTER AND FREE STATE.' RUPTU RE IN NEG OT I ATI ON 8 PUBLICATION OF- CORRESPONDENCE. • LONDON, April 27. (Rec&ived April 28, at 5.6 p.m.) Further correspondence in , connection with the negotiations between Mr Collins and Sir James Craig has been published. Mr " Collins telegraphed 'to Sir ' James Craig: “Your letter received. Consider publication- without reference to me the greatest want of courtesy. In view of this publication ' I propose sending all future communications to the pres! at the time of despatch.” The Ulster Cabinet, replied that Sir James Craig’s letter was sent to Mr Collins, but they had-no intention of publishing it until the Provisional Government on Wednesday morning issued the following statement:—“Owing to the state of affairs in Belfast'and the failure of the Belfast Parliament to carry out its agreement, the Provisional Government has decided, that it quite useless to endeavour to act in co-operation with it.” On hearing that statement Cabinet authorised the publication of sir James Craig’s reply.—A. and N.Z. Cabba.