IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1920, Page 3

IN IRELAND.

(Reuter’s Telegram.) THE IRISH POSITION. A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT. LONDON, Oct. 14. A further significant development in regard to the Government’s policy of ooercion in Ireland is a strong protest against it from two Peers. They are Viscount Grey (ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs), and Lord Robert Cecil. They have just written a joint letter, controverting Mr Lloyd George’s suggestion in support of reprisals, and the condonation of the shooting of those guilty of shooting police. The letter states that there is apparently overwhelming evidences existing “that the armed forces of the Crown are engaged in systematically burning down the houses, 'and killing and wounding the inhabitants. The victims include both Protestants and Unionists, ns well as the Irish people. It is further alleged by Lords Grey and Cecil that this policy has been sanctioned by the Governemnt including the Prime Minister himself. j They add that these grave charges require a full and an immediate investigation. SIR EDWARD CARSON SPEAKS. LONDON, Oct. 14. Sir Edward Carson, in a speeoh at the Constitutional Club, said that there would be only two parties in future — those who desired to maintain the existing constitution and those who desired to subvert it. Mr Asquith at Ireland’s most critical moment, was attempting to minimise’ the efforts towards a solution. There w;as no use in mincing words. The man who did that for party purposes was a traitor to his country. > MR ASQUITH’S DENUNCIATION _ LONDON, Oct. 14. Rt. Hon H. H. Asquith dealt with the Government’s policy in Ireland in the course of his address to the Scottish Liberal Federation at Ayr. Mr Asquith remarked that it was the meanest calumny for members of the Govern- ( ment to say that those, like himself, who denounced the Government’s ad- . ,ministration in Ireland were responsible for the existing anarchy in Ireland. The administration of Ireland was anarchy unequalled in any civilised society to-day. Notwithstanding the Premier’s flippancies and brutalities, Mr Lloyd George could not divert the public attention from this outstanding .fact. The increased record of the • crime reprisals in Ireland amounted to anarchy. It was a disgrace, not only to the Government, but also to the country as a whole. The Government’s ' policy ,he affirmed, was a policy of < despair. _ Mr Asquith, continuing, denied em- 1 phatically th§V these military * lld P° lice ( reprisals were carried out for any outrages committed on them. They were meant far otherwise. He declared that Parliament should now demand a thorough and an impartial enquiry into the reprisal policy. The reprisals were not 'i n any sense acts of defence, but they wero acts of blind and indiscriminate vengeance. ' There was, he added ,no parallel for such a state of affairs, unless it was the s work of the Germans in Belgium. t ______ v ASQUITH’S SOLUTION. i LONDON, Oct. 'l4. Mr Asquith, in a speech this evening I advocated straight out Dominion Home I Rule for Ireland. He urged her com- 1, plete administrative and legislative independence in local affairs. Ireland „ should get absolute financial autonomy., 0 H© saw nothing to prevent giving pre- <j sent autonomy. Irishmen would not emit the Empire, because that would j reduce Ireland to National msignifi- , cance. c SHOOTINGS AT DUBLIN. LONDON, Oct. H. Shootings are reported from Dublin. •An armoured car stopped in Philsborough Street. Some officers entered a , bank. Three men then attacked 1 crew with, revolvers. One soldier was , wounded and the others killed one of , the assailants. TEe others escaped. , Then the troops went seeking ft > 1 and a crowd gathered. They then fir d • .on the crowd and killed three and wounded thirty. SINN FEIN LOAN. (Received this day at 9.3° a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14. j Sinn Fein leaders state at the end of ; September the Sein Finn loan had reached £371,800 sterling.