A RAID FOR ARMS IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1921, Page 2

A RAID FOR ARMS IN IRELAND.

By mu- ulu> takes part in thi-m). "Von will Ik- in charge ni n rs<itliii«£ piii-tv of two N.C.O.s mill I'll mi-11 iipentting to-night. Vim will search nl lit >ll si-^, ns per ii 11 :n*l u-il list, ini' uniis. miiiiiiiiiitinii, mill st-ilitious literature. Sik-Ii is tlio lirii-f notico issued to tin olliii-i II) charge I. l' II 111 ill in.it part y in I n-lmiil. At s,;i(l p.m tin- m-ct-ssmy .troops are pnnull’ll in sti-i-1 helmets mnl light lighting onli-r with o() rounds of mniiiiiniilull per mmi. Two lurrii-s, i-in-li carving lii-lil dressings, picks, shovels, ciou Inn's, mnl nxcs me available tor the party. Before tin- men me tnlil oil' to their !espeetive lorrii-s, lilies nre liniileil mill two men per lorry nre waineil as loo 1 -’ out men with one round of ammunition in the hreneh of their rifles. I,i*:iviiiu: bill racks with nliout- off ynrils intervnl in-tween eneli lorry, t'e es' proceed oil their journey, which may he hut a short distance. or a*rain. it ninv he from ten to thirty mile--. tin reachiup the district to he searched a call is made at the nearest police Inn racks, where a lew police are collected—n.cic who can give information as to the exact locality and peculiar lie of the houses o he senrchril. On arrival at the liist house, two or three men are told oil as sentries to watch the rear oI the premises to make stire that no one can escape by the hack wav. A few more men an- then made to watch the trout ol the house aid am other likely places ot escape. The first (pieslioii asked on .uninin.ir admittance is, ''Have you any arms or a ilium nit ion If the answer is "Yes." the occupier ~l the I sc is then asked to hand over tin- arms, and to explain why he has no permit for them. If he cannot give a satisfactory explanation lie is at mice arrested. . ~ If the answer happens to he "No, (which is generally the case), a minute seiireli ol the house is iiuidt-. ( hail s, 111 ’Oes, hells, hexes, in-iile window |W>ts and ornaments- in lad, every likely place where arms could he concealed ' thoroughly searched. The window-sill (outside) is even m|hiiccil m. as arms have heeu knowai to* have I ecu placed there while a raid is in progress. If nothing is found on the premises, the owner of the house is asked to sign a paper certifying that no damage has keen done ami that nothing is missing, j This is to ensure that lalse rlaims catiuot he made against the police or tnililary. If damage has heen done the ■stminted amount necessary for repairs is eiiteri’d on the lorm. After withdrawing all police and solliers, a move is made towards the next muse, where the same procedure is ear-; it'd out. | If arms, ammunition, or seditious • iterature are found on any promises j he oeeupant of the house is asked to ( '\ pi ain their presence. j The oeeupant is then told that lie must . ■misider himself under arrest and come ilong with the military. j So the search goes on (with little: ,-:n in; ion) from one house to another, mTil tin- v, hide area ha-- keen -can hod.