IRISH TURMOIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 15

IRISH TURMOIL

ULSTER PARLIAMENT. LONDON, February 22. Sir Hamar Greenwood, speaking in the House of Commons, said he hoped that the dominion Premiers would attend the open Ing of the Ulster Parliament in June. He trusted the same thing would happen as regards the Southern Parliament. INCENDIARY FIRES IN MANCHESTER. LONDON, February 20. During the week-end a dozen incendiary fires occurred on the south side of Manchester. Thirty thousand pounds worth of damage was done to the stockyards in Cheshire. In one case a revolver was fired at a farmer who refused to hold up his hands. Several arrests were made. DR MANNIX AT EDINBURGH. LONDON, February 21. Dr Man nix addressed 2000 sympathisers with the Sinn Fein at Edinburgh. As Usher Hall was refused the meeting took place in the playground of St. Patrick’s Church. —A. and N.Z. Cable. Dr Mannix, addressing 2000 Sinn Feiners at Edinburgh, declared that the Irish were beimr bludgeoned and murdered daily. It was a disgrace to civilisation, and an international disgrace to Great Britain. If there had been any chance of union between England and Ireland the present Government had destroyed it for ever. DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. LONDON, February 22. In the House of Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Davidson) initiated •. debate calling attention to the absence of detailed official information regarding the Crown reprisals in Ireland, which were shaking the allegiance of law-abiding people in Great Britain. His Grace said that he spoke for many who condemned in the strongest terms the Sinn Fein campaign of murder and outrage. “ The people of Great Britain, ' he continued, “ are bewildered with regard to Irish affairs to-day. It is not a matter of politics but of ethics—of the ordinary abiding principles of right and wrong in public affairs. It is impossible to justify punishing wrong by committing wrong yourself. By calling in the aid of devils you cannot cast out devils.” After Lord Buckmaster, the Bishop of Winchester (Dr Talbot}, and others had supported the Archbishop of Canterbury's motion, the Lord Chancellor (Lord Birkenhead) wound up the debate. He admitted that the public was entitled to early and complete information regarding Irish affairs, but revolutions sometimes endangered the lives of individuals. The Archbishop of Canterbury withdrew his motion. NOVEMBER RIOTS RECALLED. LONDON, February 22. At Dublin a Court-martial tried James Greene Hill, a porter, on a charge of murdering Colonel Montgomery on No vember 21, and also with aiding an unknown man who wounded Colonel Montgomery to escape. A verdict was returned that Greene was not guilty of the murder. Similar charges regarding other officers who were murdered in a hotel in Dublin were not proceeded with. The decision regarding the charge that the accused was an accessory after the fact will be promulgated. AUXILIARIES COURT-MARTI ALLED. LONDON, February 23. Thirty Irish auxiliaries who were dismissed on a charge of organised looting have been reinstated in order that they may be court-martialled. General Crozier, head of auxiliaries and adjutant, has resigned in connection with the matter, apparently as a protest against the reinstatement. but General Tudor, who is Chief of the Constabulary, explains that the men should not be dismissed without his intervention and after trial. General Tudor states that he instituted a Court of In quiry forthwith, which is still proceeding. The accused would not be allowed to re turn to their own units in any circumstances. Sir Hamar Greenwood states that he has given instructions that the severest penalties are to be imposed on any persons who are found guilty. According to the version which is current in the lobbies of the House of Commons 31 auxiliaries raided a farm near Trim for arms on February 9. It is alleged that they extensively looted money, whisky, and pictures, and used the whisky subse quently at a banquet. Five of the men denounced the proceedings. General Crozier investigated and ordered five to be arrested and the remainder to be dismissed. SINN FEIN PLOT DISCLOSED. LONDON, February 22. In consequence of the capture of Sinn Fein documents in the Dublin raid disclosing a scheme for the wholesale destruction of property in England and Scotland, the police generally have received instructions that stringent precautions for the protec tion of life and nroperty are needful. The police will be armed with automatic revolvers. The owners of warehouses and other properties are warned to prepare for surprise attacks. The police raided the headquarters of the Irish Self-Determination League and arrested the general secretary, who was deported from Ireland. The arrest has caused consternation amongst the London Sinn Feiners, many of whom are now on the run. The police deported to Ireland Sean M'Grath, secretary of the Irish Self-deter-mination League.

SINN FETNER SENTENCED. 'LONDON, February 22. A man named Flynn has been sentenced to 10 years’ penal servitude for shooting Constable Salford early in January. REBEL SOLDIERS ARRESTED. LONDON, February 22. Dublin Castle reports that the Crown Forces surrounded 38 members of the Republican army drilling. The party were a,ll arrested. There were no casualties. DAILY CRIME LIST. LONDON, February 23. The uniformed bodies of three privates were found in a field at Woodford (Galway) and also a note inscribed “Spies, tried by court-martial.” There were several ambushes in Ireland yesterday, in which two police were killed and six wounded. COMPENSATION AWARDED. LONDON, February 23. The Recorder at Cork awarded the corporation £134,250 as compensation for the destruction of the City Hall, the Municipal Buildings, and the Carnegie Library on December 11. The amount will be levied on the county’s so-called trade departments. BOYCOTT OF ENGLISH GOODS. LONDON, February 23. The Dail Eireann has issued a circular to many British firms announcing that a general boycott of English goods will be instituted, and that it is advisable that they should procure American nd Continential agencies. UNIONIST MERCHANT MURDERED. LONDON, February 23. Wild scenes followed the shooting of a Unionist merchant at Rosslea, Fermanagh. Nine houses and shops were burned down, it is alleged by civilians. FURTHER OUTRAGES. LONDON, February 23. Armed men in Dublin shot dead two Royal Irish Constabulary detectives. Another was dangerously wounded. Armed and disguised men held up a bank clerk in a street in Cork and stole £1750. WRITS AGAINST THE MILITARY. LONDON, February 23. Several householders in Cork and Midleton have issued writs against the military authorities in connection with the destruction of property in making reprisals. CHARGES OF LOOTING. LONDON, February 24. Sir Hamar Greenwood, speaking in the House of Commons, said that the Cadets who were charged with looting were returning to Ireland to have the charges against them thoroughly investigated. He said that General Crozier’s resignation 'vvas ue an attempt to frustrate discipline. Sir Hamar Greenwood stated that 62 ’members of the forces in Ireland had been arrested for robbery and other offences since January 1. DIFFERENCES IX THE CABINET. LONDON, February 24. The Daily Sketch says there are serious differences of opinion in the Cabinet over the Irish question. Several of the Coalition Ministers strenuously object to the policy of reprisals. Unless new decisions are taken quickly a very serious split in the Cabinet is inevitable. SOLDIERS DONE TO DEATH. LONDON, February 24. A policeman who was patrolling the main street at Bandon (Cork) was shot dead, while two soldiers and a non-com-missioned officer near by were seized by armed men. After giving a letter to the non-commissioned officer addressed to the commanding officer of the Essex Regiment they released him. The other soldiers were taken away a short distance and shot dead. VERDICT OF SUICIDE. LONDON, February 24. At the inquest oil the body of Mr Tilson, a merchant, who was found on the Irish mail train, a verdict of “Suicide” was returned. SENTENCE OF COURT-MARTIAL. LONDON, Fel iruarv 25. Mary Bowies has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a reformatory institution. [This girl, who is 16 years of ape, was arrested by a military patrol at Blarney on January 15. She was noticed by the patrol to run across a field and drop an object. The patrol made an investigation, and found a Lewis <nm, while further investigations revealed a number of dug-outs, also a quantity of arms, ammunition, and military equipment. The girl was later tried by court-martial for being in possession of a revolver, a pistol, and a machine gun. When captured she was wearing a steel body guard under her coat and carrying a machine gun wrapped in a waterproof covering. She was also carrying a book entitled “ The Hotchkiss Portable Machine Gun.” The girl throughout the court-martial proceedings maintained an attitude of indifference and refused to plead. 1 MAINTENANCE OF DISCIPLINE. LONDON, February 25. Sir Nevil Maeready has issued orders to the troops in regard to the murder of soldiers at Bandon. He says that quite apart from the savagery which has always characterised the tactics of the rebels, there

is no doubt that these crimes are a deliberate attempt to exasperate the troops and to tempt them to break the bounds of discipline, thereby providing “ copy ” for the scurrilous campaign of propaganda on which the rebel leaders so much rely for sympathy against England abroad. He expects the troops, even in the face of provocation, whicn would not be indulged in by the wildest savages of Central Africa, to maintain the discipline for which the army is renowned. Only thus will peaxie in Ireland be restored. STATEMENT BY MR BONAR LAW. LONDON, February 25. Mr Bonar Law, speaking at Leeds, said there had certainly been excesses by the police and military in Ireland, but the Government was determined to restore order and maintain discipline. There were two ways of dealing with Ireland. One was to give a measure of self-government compatible with the interests of Ireland and the whole kingdom. The other was to tell the Irish to go their own way and do what they liked. If the latter method were adopted it might free Britain from great trouble, but it would not stop at Ireland. Such yielding to what could not be conceded to reason would spread to other parts of the Empire and would end the Empire. LOOTING AT TRIM. LONDON, February 25. Sir Hamar Greenwood, in the House of Commons, denied that there had been any condonation of the Trim looting, but General Crozier, in reply to an inquiry by Mr W. A. Redmond (a member of the House of Commons), telegraphed that General Tudor had admitted condonation in the presence of himself and many officers, and had ordered the reinstatement of the men in their original company. The subject will be debated in the House of Commons on Monday. COUNTING THE COST. LONDON, February 24. Sir Hamar Greenwood, in the House of Commons, stated that the monthly expenditure on the police force in Ireland was £621,000. DEATH SENTENCE STANDS. LONDON, February 24. In an application for a writ of habeas corpus in the case of John Allen, who was sentenced to death by a military court, the Chief Justice of the Irish King’s Bench refused the application on the ground that the court had no power to interfere with a military court. FIERCE PITCHED BATTLE. LONDON, February 25. Seventy members of the Crown Forces, travelling in lorries, with the object of conducting a round-up, were ambushed by 400 Sinn Feiners entrenched in the hills near Macroom. At the first onslaught one auxiliary was killed and six were wounded. A fierce pitched battle ensued. Major Grant, the commanding officer, was killed, and the Crown Forces, which were hopelessly outnumbered, withdrew, leaving about ten wounded, who are now presumed to be dead. When the auxiliaries were nearing their base at Macroom the rebels returned to the mountains. Macroom is fortified with machine guns that are trained on to the roads leading to the town. The police and the military, aided by aeroplanes, are scouting the district. The Sinn Fein casualties are believed to have been heavy. The ambush at Macroom, which is one of the worst centres of the revolutionary movement, is described as the biggest battle that has yet occurred ■in Ireland. It commenced early in the morning, and continued until 2 in” the afternoon, "covering five miles of country. The auxiliaries, "who were caught in wild, craggy country, at first advanced, followed by cars, until three explosions in rapid succession were the signal that they were in a regular death-trap. The road had been mined, and the first two cars were already disabled. The killed included a Sinn Fein hostage in the first car. Intense rifle and revolver fire from behind boulders followed. The auxiliaries attacked, but failed to dislodge the rebels. One car, however, escaped, and reached Macroom, and called up reinforcements. Meantime the auxiliaries were retreating, the rebels continuing a hot running fire as they drove the police back towards Macroom. The auxiliaries here outmanoeuvred the Sinn Feiners, and prevented the latter from surrounding them, though the rebels were continually getting nearer and nearer. Macroom was now m a state of great alarm, and business wr-r suspended and the inhabitants were ordeted indoors. A wireless call to Cork resulted in large reinforcements of troops being sent forward with a Hotchkiss gun, rifles, and aeroplanes. The Republicans, however, immediately relinquished the attack and fled to the hills. February 26. An official Dublin communique states that, following upon the ambush of the auxiliaries at Macroom, the Royal Fusiliers carried out a running fight lasting two hours against the rebels, who occupied the high ground behind the military. Two civilians were taken prisoner. The military suffered no casualties. Constable Keane, who was wounded at (Macroom, has died. OFF I CERS Iv ID NA IT ED. LONDON, February 25. Armed men held up two officers who were returning from fox-hunting in the village of Liscarroll (Cork). The officers were compelled to dismount, and they were removed to an unknown destination. Their riderless horses reached the barracks. The Crown Forces invested Liscarroll and compelled the villagers to form a civilian guard, informing them that they would be held responsible for the officers’ return.