IRISH PROBLEM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14148, 21 June 1920, Page 6

IRISH PROBLEM.

FURTHER RIOTING. I’ress Association —Electric Telegraph Copyright (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) (Received Last Night, 5.5 o’clock.) LONDON, June If. Serious rioting, lasting all night, occurred at Londonderry. Unionist ex-soldiers engaged in a battle with stones with Sinn Feiners. Many women participated on both sides. Thero was indiscriminate rifle and revolver shooting, and several casualties occurred. The police were powerless to interfere. The situation improved at midnight, on the arrival of tyoops. Unionists guarded the Carlisle Bridge, thus preventing numbers of Sinn Feiners from returning to their homes. Sinn Peiners attempting to cross the river in boats were driven back bj rifle bullets, and compelled to billet themselves with friends. The troops, meantime, are diligently searching pedestrians for arms. The Government has informed a British and Irish railwaymen’s deputation that it will take drastic action in the event of further refusals to convey troops and munitions. Strikers will be summarily dismissed, and if a general railway strike occuys, the Government will run the trains it requires with military, and shut down the remainder. Tho Irish delegates frankly told Ministers that in that ease certain sections of the Irishmen would deliberately destroy the tracks and wreck the trains, adding that the inevitable paralysis of Irish industries would result in a civil war.

The railwaymen met the Premier and Ministers, as cabled on Thursday. Mr. Thomas subsequently stated that the railwaymen proposed that the Government should not send further troops or munitions to Ireland. If the Government agreed, the ,railwaymen -would appeal to all sections of the Irish people to suppress crime and the British and Irish Trade Union Congresses would use the period of truce to seek a solution of the various problems, and would also discuss with the Government means of producing a better atmosphere in Ireland, in the hope of settling the Irish problem. The Government replied, refusing to discontinue the despatch of troops and munitions, but said it would do its utmost to prevent provocation. It was willing to meet representatives of all Irish sections, including the Sinn Feiners, but it could go no further than that.

Mr. Thomas added that the question of tho dock strikers in Dublin remained unsettled. He desired, in order to prevent.misunderstanding, to state that the Government intended to close tho Irish ; railways in the event of transporters further refusing to carry troops and munitions. He feared that this would lead to incalculable consequences.' The English and Irish railwaymen would continue to consider the position, in tho light of the Government announcement. TWO WOMEN ATTACKED. LONDON, June 19. Sixteen Sinn Feiners attacked two young ladies at Castletown, in. County Fork, and cut off their hair, because they entertained two military officers. The party afterwards attacked the officers, burning their car, and flung the girls’ hair into the flames.