RAIDS IN IRELAND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15270, 19 July 1920, Page 3

RAIDS IN IRELAND.

CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND

SINN FEINERS

BATTLE RAGES FOR AN HOUR

/Elec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn.) LONDON, July 17. A battle lasting an hour raged m the village of Ballylanders m County Limerick before dawn. Sixty police and soldiers carrying out a raid and search for arms arrived m motor lorries and were greeted -with shots from windows and chimneys and behind fences. Tlie Sinn Feiners •continued the fusillade until the .troops, after promptly taking cover, energetically replied to the attack and gained the upper hand, cap- j turing eight Sinn Feiners, one being badly wounded. ( It* was announced at Roscommon Assizes that a constable was shot dead en. his way to the Assizes. Tlie judge said : "It shows .the deplorable condition of tho country that a man should be assassinated for coming to do his duty." Sinn Feiners burned Buncranaf Courthouse, m County Donegal. Constable Mesterton, when motoring homewards, was shott dead near Limerick. , Forty special jurymen attended . a meeting called anonymously at Cork, and decided to boycott the Assizes. Recent encounters with Sinn Feiners resulted m the police killing 50 and arresjtinjr 30. Many successful raids for arms were effected. - ' It is understood that Cabinet during the coming- week will discuss proclaiming martial law m. affected districts. It is reported that Sir Hamar Greenwood opposes martial law. He believes there is a growing disgust at the action of the. Sinn. Fein extremists'. Tlie police are receiving secret offers of assistance ; n several districts. Sinn Feiners continue to warn drivers tliat they will be shot if the trains carry troops. Consequently the train services suffer dislocations. One hundred armed men stopped the Imidnterht mail train between Belfast jind Londonderry, covered the driver, fireman, and guard with, revolvers, and sfeized official correspondence' and decamped.

Another gang shopped a passenger tra'n. at a .remote station on the Dun-dalk-Eniskillen line and kidnapped the driver and fireman, leaving the train stranded.

Dublin £astle has authorised the police -to invoke military aid m suppressing and arresting Irish volunteers assembl-'ne: m order to undertake selfassumed police functions. A Sinn Fein court at Thurles ordered the deportation of four deserters from Enelish regiments who had a brief career as highwaymen. Tliev stole bicycles and held up nnd robbed several travellers. Sinn Feiners escorted the Prisoners aboard a s f eamer bound for England.— A. and N.Z.C.A.