IRELAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3612, 5 June 1923, Page 22

IRELAND.

DE VALERA S PROCLAMATION. LONDON, May 28. De Valera's proclamation to the socalled Soldiers of Liberty signifies the end of the civil war, and it adds: “Military success must be allowed to rest with those who destroyed the Republic. Other means must be found to safeguard the nation’s interests. Do not allow this sorrow to overwhelm you. You have saved the nation's honour and expedited the law of independence. Laying down your arms is an act of patriotism. The Irish Free State Publicity Department has published the documents seized on Friday. These include one issued by de Valera and the chiefs of the Irregulars of all ranks, which states that their reputation can no longer be defended successfully by arms, that sacrifices will now be in vain, and that- continuance of the struggle is unwise in the nation's interest. FREE STATE PLEDGES REDEEMED. LONDON, May 28. Mr Cosgrave, speaking at Kilkenny, claimed that the Free State Government had carried out it* election pledges to restore order, and to see that no section of the community should assert armed dominance over any other section. Law and order were now accepted almost without question. The Government was willing to forget the memory of 1522. He paid he hoped that its lesson had been learnt. Another order signed “Frank Aiken, Chief of Staff.” deck-ires:—“We will keep out arms until we see an honourable way of reaching our objective without arms.” Mr Mnlcahy announced in the Free State Parliament that recruiting for the army had stopped. LAND PURCHASE SCHEME. LONDON, Mav 29. A Bill introduced in the Dail Eireann to complete land purchase and the establishment of peasant proprietorship in the Free State deals with 70,000 peasants who have not- yet purchased their holdings, the rent roli being about £1,000,000. The landlords will be given 15 years’ purchase in 4j per cent, bonds, the Government contributing 10 per cent, to purchase monev. The ocherne will cost the Ijee State Government £25,000,000 when completed. Agricultural tenants and landlords will be abolished in Southern Ireland, and only the owners of the fee simple will remain. COUNTY COUNCIL DISSOLVED. LONDON, May 28. The Free State Government has announced the dissolution of the Kerry County Council, owing to its failure to function as a result of the activities of the Irregulars. THE INDEMNITY BILL. LONDON, May 28. Mr Stanley Baldwin has announced that the Government has decided to receive claims from the Irish deportees for loss in consequence of their arrest. On the motion to read the Indemnity Bill Mr Stanley Baldwin said the House would recognise, as far as compensation was concerned, that all legal claims were barred by the Bill; but the Government had decided to receive claims for actual expense or direct loss sustained by the Irish deportees. The Home Secretarv wonld make a statement, after which he would not take further part in the debate, and would not vote on the Bill. Mr Bridgeman, Home Secretary, met with a hostile reception from the Labour benches. Ife said he hoped whatever the House decided to do, that those who acted under his instructions should not be allowed to cuffer, nor should they seek to exonerate him by blaming the Attorney-General. “The responsibility was mine,” added Mr Bridgeman. “I claim to brar its full weight.” Mr Bridgeman said he consulted the Attorney-General, took his advice, and believed he was right. The organisation with which he had to deal was a very dangerous one, which might have been disastrous both for this country and for Ireland. Mr Bridgeman then left the Chamber.

Mr Lloyd George said, so far as legality was concerned, the Home Secretary did everything they could expect a Minister to do to make it clear that he was acting well within the law. Mr Lloyd George regretted that the Government had not Been its wav to ad jom n discussion on the Bill until there had been a decision in the courts. It was not a. Bill to indemnify the Min ister, but a Bill to deprive those who had been illegally deported of any rights. He suggested Mat the Government should add a clause allowing these people to put forward their claims and set up a tribunal to settle them. Mr Llovd George continued that if an appeal bad come from Canada, Australia. New Zealand, or South Africa we should have been hound to take stern action. Douhtle.s the Commons would have been only too pleased to give the Government the powers necessary to cope with conspiracy, but it would have been verv serious if British people were deported to the dominions. That was a precedent which should never have been set up. Lord Robert. Cecil replied to the debate. He said the Government had no desire to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeal, and be was strongly of opinion that the country ought to rid itself of war legislation as soon as possible. Lord Robert- Cecil said the Government desired to securp for three who bad suffered illegal detention the damages which they were entitled to recover in

an ordinary comt of law. He was quite ready to put a clause in the present Bill which would make that clear.—(Cheers.) Mr M'Curdy intimated that the National Liberals accepted Lord Cecil’s pledge, and would support the second reading. The amendment was rejected, and the Bill was read a second time by 29 i votes to 143. CEASE-FIGHTING ORDER. LONDON, May 29. Speaking in Dublin, General Mulcahy said that de Valera’s cease-lighting order was a counsel of perfection. It might have been adopted before, when the Republicans saw that they were beaten. Mr K. O’Higgins (Minister of Home Affairs) said it was open to the opponents of the Government to form a political party in order to press their claims. If they did so the country would soon forget the past year’s events. D: Valera’s Publicity Department announces that on May 24 a special army order was issued to cease fire, arms will be dumped on May 28. INTERNAL LOAN OF £25,000,000. LONDON, May 29. General Mulcahy, speaking in Dublin, announced that the Government had decided to raise a loan of £25,000,000 internally. He added that they must not give outsiders an opportunity of lending the money and drawing interest. An internal loan would make Ireland a creditor instead of a debtor nation. READ A THIRD TIME. THE INDEMNITY BILL. LONDON, May 29. In the Bouse of Commons the AttorneyGeneral moved an additional clause to the Indemnity Bill making provision lor compensation being paid to deported persons. This was agreed to without discussion. May 30. In the House of Commons a sharp debate arose on the amendment limiting the operation of the Indemnity Bill to the officials who act in good faith. Lord Robert Cecil argued that the Bill would work better as worded. The motion and the amendment were defeated, and Lord Robert Cecil eventually moved an amendment to confine the indemnity to the recent deportations, and this was carried without a division.

Sir D. M. Hogg (Attorney-General) said that 106 deportees out of 110 had instituted proceedings. The House of Commons sat till 6 o’clock in the morning debating the Indemnity Bill. Mr Stanley Baldwin and his Ministers remained till the early morning. The fight centred around the Government’s clause providing for compensation to deported persons. Despite Sir Douglas Hogg's emphatic undertaking that those deported would receive the full compensation to which the law courts declared them entitled, the Oppositionists moved a succession of amendments. Mr Ramsay MacDonald moved to report progress, declaring that the Bill was in a state of hopeless confusion. When a general debate on this motion seemed imminent a- group of Government members left the Chamber.

Lord Robert Cecil moved the closure amid cries of “Gag!” and “Return of the Wanderers ! ’ ’ The closure was carried by 197 votes to 103, and Mr MacDonald’s motion was defeated by 196 votes to 105. The Labourites pressed an amendment demanding compensation for “moral and intellectual damage’” and for the deportees’ dependents. Lord Robert Cecil again moved the closure, at which Mr Neil M'Lean (Labour) rose from the front Opposition bench and violently thumped the table. During later divisions a number of Labourites assembled in the corridors and sang “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah,” and “Hang Bob Cecil oil a Sour Apple Tree.” The Government maintained a majority of between.Bo and 90, and passed the Bill through committee. It was agreed to postpone the report and third reading stages till Friday. .Tune 1. The Indemnity Bill was read a. third time by the House of Commons. BANK ROBBERS EXECUTED. LONDON, Mav 30. Two men named Rourke and Murphy were executed at Tuam (County Galway) in connection with a bank robbery at Athenry. ART O’BRIEN CASE. LONDON, May 30. The hearing of the charge against Art O’Brien has been resumed. Since the last hearing five others —Flynn. Mularkey, Joyce, Patrick Fleming, and Dennis Fleming—have been charged similarly to O’Brien, M'Gratb. and Mahonev. An official of the Westminster Bank gave evidence to the effect that the bank bad several accounts in O’Brien's name. In February there was a credit represented bv 25.000 dollars in American notes. Most of this money had been rent hv draft bv different persons in Dublin. The police gave evidence regarding the damaging documents found in the possession of some of the prisoners. LAND MINE OUTRAGE. LONDON, June 1. Dublin reports that the Boyne obelisk which has stood for nearly 200 years on the site of the battle of the Boyne, to commemorate William IIT. was blown to pieces during the night.. An investigation discloses that the rock foundation was bored and three powerful land mines were operated by time fuses. The obelisk was thrown across the road and shattered into a pile of masonry 6ft high. Half a ton

of stones used in the base were hurled 200 yards into the river bed. REBELS GIVING UP ARMS. LONDON, June 1. Free State troops found a series of dumps of arms in various parts of Ireland, showing that Mr de Valera’s damping order is being carried out. FARMER SHOT DEAD. LONDON, June 1. Mr Clough, a gentleman farmer, was shot dead on the road near Burncourt, Tipperary. He had trouble a few years ago in connection with his farm, and he had received threatening letters recently. THE IRISH ENVOYS. MELBOURNE, June L The High Court has rejected the applications made on behalf of the Irisn envoys for a writ of prohibition against a special board appointed to deal with their deportation, and for an injunction against further activities by the board, which may now proceed with tile hearing of the case against the envoys.