IRISH AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 17

IRISH AFFAIRS.

NO PROCESSION ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY. (By Cable.) The presence of the military has resulted in the establishment of law and order in County Clare. Claims amounting to £IO,OOO have already been filed for damage through illegal ploughing arid cattle-driving. Viscount French. Commander-in-Chief of, the troops stationed in- the United Kingdom, visited County Clare on Sunday. A bomb was thrown through a window at -the West-port police "barracks, and it exploded, wounding a constable. Rioting has been renewed •in Limerick, and several soldiers, police, and civilians have been injured, the diskirbances leading to baton charges. Six hundred Sinn Feiners seized Kiltamagh village, in Mayo, which was used as a drilling centre. The inhabitants were compelled to use Sinn Fein passports. The Deutsche Tages Zeitung publishes Germany's latest lie that the Sinn Feinars fired a shot at Mr Lloyd George, the bullet missing him by a hair's breadth It is reported that the £5500 which was stolen from a bank manager at Ennistymon, County Clare, has been restored, with a note stating that no robbery was intended, the money having been taken merely to prevent its use at the fair to buy cattle which were to be exported. In the House of Commons on the sth Mr Bonar Law said that the Goernment was informed that the measures being taken in Ireland were having the desired result. The deliberations of the Irish Convention, added the -Minister, had not yet ended. Lord French informed a deputation in Dublin that the present military steps in Ireland were being taken solely for the preservation of order. A member of the deputation urged Lord French to ask the King to visit Ireland. In the House of Commons, Mr Arthur W. Samuels (Solicitor-general for Ireland) eaid no prisoners were being forcibly fed, but those refusing food must take the consequences. Mr A. E. Duke has informed the Lord Mayor of Dublin that there is a conspiracy afoot to subvert all law in Ireland by hunger-striking, but the Government did not intend to relax any of the cases. All meetings and processions have been prohibited in Dublin between March 16-27, The Daily Chronicle states that Mr H. E. Duke (Chief Secretary for Ireland) becomes Master of the Rolls, and Mr J. I. Macpherson (Parliamentary Under-secre-tary to the War Office) will probably succeed him. THE CONVENTION. The report of the Irish Convention may be issued this week, together with the Government's proposals for a settlement.