IRISH PEACE FAILURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16737, 19 May 1922, Page 4

IRISH PEACE FAILURE.

DISPUTE IN THE DA IL. MR DE VALERA’S OFFER, By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Alay 17. The breakdown of the. Irish peace negotiation* was due to the insistence of those opposing the Treaty on maintaining the present strength of their represents ion in he Dail Eireann and their refusal of the Treaty party’s offer of representation on a basis of six to four. Mr de V alera. speaking in the Da:’ Eireann, after the breakdown, of the peuoe committee, said: “We realise that a majority of the Dail accepted the Treaty. If we had the power we would reverse that majority. What we desire to know is. does the Government desire our co-operation? I take the responsibility of offering it.” CRANT TO ULSTER. LIBERAL OPPOSITION. LONDON, May 17. The Chief Secretary for Ireland, Sir Hamar Greenwood, in committee, in the House of Commons, submitted a vote for £750.000. representing half of the grant to nseist the Ulster Government to meet compensation awards made under the Malicious Injuries Act. Air. J. Devlin (Nat.) in the House of Commons, pointed out that the Provisional Government was undertaking to pay for damages done by Sinn Feiners m southern Ireland, Britain as paying for damage clone by the ' Black and Tans,” the Imperial Government was now coming to Ulster Government’s help. That was the British taxpayers’ affair, but what provision was being made for Roman j Catholic sufferers in Ulster who had i only received the most meagre compen- ; sation under the County Court awards? ! A commission should !>e established in j l Jster to Heal with such causes, j Captain C. (’. Craig lU.) said there

| n ' as an obligation on the part of the j Imperial Government to assist the VII ster Governnient to remove a heave ; burden from a young government just ; functioning. Commander J. Af. ..Kenwortby (Lib.) opposed the vote as the. beginning of a vast system of subsidies to Ulster, and moved a reduction of the vote bv £500,000. Colonel J. W nrd T 9 said that as the disorders in Ulster were due. to the British policy, the Northern Government was taking an adequate share of the liability in undertaking to pay onethird of the damage*. Colonel Sir Godfrey Collins (Lib.) j pointed out. that during the current year. £6,750,000 had been paid to sufferers in Ireland. The British exchequer would have to find £3 for every pound found by the Ulster Government. Sir Hamar Greenwood said the grant was to relieve the local ratepayers of a burden which would mean bankruptcy to the local authorities. : The cost of making peace in Ireland would be £10.000.000. assuming there j would be no untoward development. Commander Kenworthy’a motion waa ; negatived without division. TERRIBLE FIGHTING IN BELFAST, I LONDON, May 17. Belfast last night was the scene of many sanguinary encounters between Sinn Fein gunmen and Crown Forces. There were many casualties in the* southern area. One woman was killed and another wounded. Incendiarism was freely indulged in. The northern area was next involved, large military detachments in armoured cars engaging armed mobs. Terrible fighting con- [ tinned until ten o’clock curfew. The casualties are believed to be grave, but at present the total has not been certained. BRITISH TROOPS. William Davison (Co.-CV asked in the House of Commons whether British troops had been offered to the Ulster Government to repel the organised raids by the Republican Army, also whether adequate forces were available in event of a massed attack : on the Ulster border. Mr Chamberlain said British troops | had not been offered to Sir James I Craig for any specific purpose but troop** were stationed in Ulster and ! were available if the civil powers rei quested their aid. The Govern men t I had no reason to believe the available | forces were inadequate.