IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1920, Page 2

IN IRELAND.

JURORS REFUSE. TO ATTEND COcLCi SITTINGS. By Electric, Telegraph—Copyright.. LONDON, July 8. The people summoned as jurors for political trials in Ireland are largely ignoring the summonses. Very heavy fines are being imposed on them. The “London Times” records that at Waterford Assizes Judge Gibson decanted bitterly on the subject when: only nine jurors appeared out of 78 summoned. He spoke of their having received a notice threatening that lives and property and women and children would not be protected in future by law. Gibson declared: “It makes my blood run cold, it is horrible that any Irishman should be so weak.” Gibson then declared: “The prisoners will remain in custody. The guilty will go unpunished.” He defined the jurors’ default as being a crime against God and man. Then he fined each grand juror £IOO. He fined all the absent special jurors £25 each. He also fined the jurors £lO each. There were also no fewer than 100 petty jurors fined in the County Court.

PRESS COMMENT. LONDON, July 8. The Irish “Times” declares the Waterford fines on jurors mark the end and the beginning of chapters in Irish his’tory. It asserts: “Jurors have the choice of facing the imposition of these large fines or the vengeance of an organisation, which hits hard and hits surely. It keeps whple provinces in a servitude of fear. The “Freeman’s Journal” quotes Cardinal Logue as stating that the Pope sympathises with Ireland in, her National aspirations; "It says, however, that the Cardinal added that the Sovereign Pontiff declared they would never attain the aspirations through crime or bloodshed or any conduct that brought God’s curse on them. KIDNAPPED. 'Recdvad This Du n* *45 a m ' " LONDON, July 7, Military Sergeant Reilly, principal in the murder trial at Armagh following a policeman’s death was kidnapped from the street. A search failed to disclose his whereabouts. ASSIZES ABANDONED. (Received this day, at 9.30 a.in.) LONDON, July T. Waterford Assizes have been abandoned as the jury did nipt attend owing to threats of violence.