IRELAND

Southland Times, Issue 19478, 30 March 1922, Page 5

IRELAND

THE SOUTH’S TROUBLES REBEL SECTION ISSUES ORDERS (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, March 29. (Received March 29, 5.5 p.m.) The rebel section of Irish republican army, in a fantastic statement has ordered all the officers of other ranks serving in the regular army and Civic Guards to return to their respective units. The statement declares that neither the Minister of Defence or Chief of Staff exercises control over the army, recruiting for which, must cease forthwith. FURTHER FIRES IN BELFAST. ANOTHER BOMB OUTRAGE. LONDON, March 28. Further fires have occurred in Belfast. Zhile a small crowd collected to watch a fire at a jam factory a bomb was thrown injuring three. GIRL SHOT DEAD. LONDON, March 28. Annie Horkan, aged 23, was shot dead while she and her sister were attempting to cover the retreat of her father and brother from a house at Grallagh. During a raid by armed men early in the morning her brother and father escaped. One of the raiders was found dead a short distance from the house. SIR JAMES CRAIG’S REPLY TO MR COLLINS DENIES PERSECUTION OF CATHOLICS LONDON, March 28. Sir James Craig, speaking in Ulster Parliament said he would not deviate an inch from the policy he pursued throughout. He would not have spoken, prior to the conference in London, if Mr Collins had not suggested that he had failed to keep his word. Sir James Craig denied that he even broke any agreement with Mr Collins. There were still 67,000 unemployed in Ulster, therefore it was impossible to find work for expelled workers, but loyalists had admitted the principle of admitting Catholics when trade revived. That was a great step forward. Sir James Craig repudiated the suggestion that Belfast Protestants were carrying out a programme against Catholics. He wanted to create a helpful and not a destructive atmosphere for the London Conference, and earnestly hoped that even at the eleventh hour reason and sense would be substituted for vindictiveness and hatred.