IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1920, Page 2

IN IRELAND.

CORK CITY AFLAME. THREE MILLIONS DAMAGE. (Reuter’a Telegrams.l

LONDON, December 12. Four hundred and fifty houses have •been detroyed in the city of Cork. The damage i-s estimated at three millions sterling. The city presents a spectacle worse than that of Dublin after the rebellion. It was all following an ambushing of military cadets. There was then, an outbreak of revolt. 'Rifle fire followed all over the city. People were dragged from the trams, searched and then beaten., The streets were deserted at nine o’clock at night, but the firing was not abated. An hour later the centre of the city was illuminated, by the burning of the buildings. Several persons connected with the destroyed buildings are reported to be niissing. The Roman Catholic Bishop, preaching in the Cathedral, stated that he would issue a decree excommunicating everybody identified with any _ ambush of Crown forces. Two brothers named Delaney were shot in their beds in Cork. One was killed and the other is not expected to recover. THE INCENDIARIES. LONDON, Dec. 13. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Cork correspondent (who states that he was an eye-witness of the fires), says that he saw fifty men in all kinds of raiment, and ali armed with rifles, burning the buildings. “They succeeded in evading the curfew troops,” he states “when these passed by. The men with the rifles fired shots into the windows of Che houses, and they continued on with their work of destruction.” The actual identity of the authors of the Cork fires is still doubtful. The “Daily Chronicle” and “Morning Post” assert there is no evidence to prove tile fires are due to the soldiers or the police. The “Morning Post” says: “It is impossible that the vast fires in Cork could have been started on the spur of the moment as reprisals. Evidently tht fires are due to some anarchist element, who would only be concerned in the break-up of the Empire.” „

, ANTI-SINN FEIN ELEMENT. LONDON, Dec. 13 The “Daily News” says: “One fire was'started in a small shop near the ambush. The shopowner was an old lady'. She appealed to the men who set the place on fire. Then they helped to extinguish it before much damage was done.

Then another fire burned itself out. Tile houses of two prominent Sinn Feineis were then burned. The men who caused these two fires worked hard to prevent the flames spreading to the adjoining premises. Meanwhile the big fires were commenced in tile centre of the city. BEST BLOCKS RAZED. London, Dec. 13 It is still impossible to assess the damage at Cork, but the fire destruction includes some of the most imposing blocks in the city. The entire area of .Patrick Street, for a quarter of a mile in length, and to a depth of one hundred yards, has been razed to the ground. Military forces now control the streets.

Military pickets, with machine-guns, are stationed at the principal points. This was done at a request from some townsfolk.

A most hopeful factor is considered the pronouncement by Bishop Cobalan at the'Cork Cathedral, intimating that lie will ex-communicate frolh the Church any persons participating in an ambush. An authoritative act like this might restore peace, which the people ardently desire. . OFFICIAL VERSION.

LONDON, December !3. Regarding the Cork outrages, Dublin Castle has issued an official statement, which says- that twelve auxiliary cadets were riding in a lorry. They were wounded, some seriously, in an ambush in Cork city. This was within half a mile of their barracks, and bombs were thrown into the lorry. The attackers escaped.

Further reports say the cadets were ambushed at evening at a sharp lorner where the lorry was obliged to .go slowly. Some Sinn Feiners were able to throw bombs* over a wall into the lorry. The first intimation of the attacks was a serious explosion. People nearby hurried to the spot, and found some cadets writhing in agony, being horribly injured. Operations were necessary in several cases. Then a number of arrests were made front tli? neighbouring houses. Half an hour after the bomb episode parties of the auxiliary troops, along with special constables, began to clear the streets of Cork city, which were crowded with shoppers. The people were anxious at the time to get home before the curfew, which is at ten o’clock.

The auxiliary' troops held up all males, and lined them up against the walls, and then searched them. They allowed women or girls to go unchallenged. When news of the ambush spread tlie people of Cork were stricken .with fear. Tlie people in the- district where the bomb outrage took place fled from their homes. They spent the night in tlte fields. Some, were in tlie. scantiest clothing. About this time military lorrias began to dash through the city. Then explosions were heard. Then the fires commenced. A FIERCE ATTACK.

- (Received Tliis Day at 10.40 a.m.) •LONDON, Dec 13. Sinn Feiners ‘ attacked Camlough police" barracks on Sunday night. A fierce fight ensued and it is reported a number were killed. The wire was cut and details are unavailable. Sinn Feiners snipped military proceeding to the scene in a motor lorry from the railway viaduct.

A NIGHT OF HORROR. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec 12. A Cork correspondent states thd fires in-Cork wore systematically carried out. The occupants, were warned, the furniture was soaked with petrol nnd buildings occupied by.Sinn Feiners were set file to. Others were left untouched. The incendiaries took command of the City and then ensued an awful night of terror. Yelling gangs chased civlians through the streets. The night resounded with revolver cracks and bomb explosions and firesgl Several people were burned alive in thedestroyed buildings.