IRELAND’S TROUBLES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1921, Page 3

IRELAND’S TROUBLES

‘ PURELY POLITICAL. ’. SOUTH-WEST IN MILITARY OCCUPATION. WELLINGTON, April 11. Somei viery interesting information was gained by a “Times” reporter on conditions generally in Ireland, in an interview with S' l ' Andrew Armstrong, Bart., on the arrival of the Shropshire on Satnlrday. “In my ejaunty (King’s County),” said Sir Andrew, “the outrages you hear so much about were not particularly prominent, but not to such an extent that a guard could be dispensed with altogether.’ He said the whole of the south-west of Ireland was in military occupation, just as though there was a war on—a great army continally in occupation Speaking from both sices he said they had got things in a worse moss than ever before. Questioned regarding the Sinn Fein ors’ tactics, Sir Andrew staled that they were not now allowed to wear their unifoms or carry arms. They conducted their own courts, however in spit-e of the fact that it was illegal but recently a number of raids had been instituted, resulting in the stopping of the practice. Sinn Fein barristers had been imprisoned. ‘‘The whole thing,” continued the speaker, “is not a religious movement at all—hut purely political.” The farmers, he said, had made more money in the year or two than ever before. The ruling wages for farm labourers averaged at about 26s 6d per week, but this did not include “keep.” Ten years ago the average wage had j been 11s per week, but the cost of living had been responsible for an 80 per cent, increase as things were going was not by any means adequate. From the south-west of Ireland, England was the market for sheep, cattle and pigs, and some of the sellers had been procuring fabulous prices. Tf one were to disregard the political trouble the country itself is thriving ten times more than, say, ten years ago. Proof of his statement, Sir Andrew said, was convincingly shown and evident by the enormous amount of money on deposit in the hanks. The whole truth of the matter was that the farmers did not know how to spend their money; hut would willingly pay exceptionally high prices for land. The - Home authorities had stopped emigration for a period of six years, when mostly south-western people, had been emigrating. However, it was now commencing again. “Of course,” continued the speaker “it is common knowledge that a number of Irish-Amerioan gunmen have been prominent amongst the murder ■ j. gangs—and a good deal of evil was done by desperadoes, who masquerading under the name of Sinn Fein have looted and held up banks etc. A tremendous amount of the terrible things one read about were not attributable to the Sinn Feiners. *