THE IRISH PROBLEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1922, Page 2

THE IRISH PROBLEM.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. BRITISH FORCES IN ULSTER. • LONDON. May 17. Sir William Dakison in the House of Commons, asked whether British troops had been offered to Ulster Government, and whether they were to repel organised raids by the Republican Army, also whether adequate forces were available in event of any massed attack on the Ulster border. Air Chamberlain said the British troops in Ulster had not been offered to S' l ' .Lames Craig for any specific purpose, but the troops stationed in Lister were available if civil powers requested their aid. The British Government had no reason to believe the available forces were net adequate. ANOTHER BELFAST POGROM. LONDON. May 1". Belfast last night was the scene of many sanguinary encounters between Sinn Fein gunmen and Crown Forces. Many casualties in the Southern area (nd ink'd one woman Willed another wounded. Incendiarism was freely in- ’ duiged in. The Northern area was next involved, large military detachments ' moving in armoured cars and engaging ! some mobs. There was terrible lighting It continued until the 10 o’clock Curfew. The casualties are believed to be ! grave.

' BRITISH MONEY FOR ULSTER. I LONDON, May 17.

Sir H. Greenwood in Committee of the House of Commons, submitted a vote for £750,000 sterling, representing half of a grant to lie made to assist the Ulster Government to meet compensation awards under a Malicious In-

juries Act. Discussing Sir H. Greenwood’s proposal to grant £750,000 to Ulster, Mr Joseph Devlin (Irish Nationalist member for West Belfast) in the House oi* Commons, pointed out that the Provisional Government of Ireland was undertaking to pay for any damage done by Sinn Feiners in South Ireland, whilst Britain was paying for the damage that was done in Ireland by the Black and Tatis. The Imperial Government however, was now coming to the Ulster Government’s help. He asked what provision was being made for the Roman Catholic sufferers in Ulster? TfiOv only had received the mest meagre compensation under the County Court awards. A commission, he said, should Tie established in Ulster to de:l with such cases.

Captain Craig said that there was an obligation on the part of the Imperial Government to assist the l Ister Government, so as to remove a heavy burden from this young Government just functioning. Commander Kenworthy opposed the vote, as being the beginning of a vast system of subsidies to Ulster. Commander Kenwortliy moved the reduction of the vote by £500,000. Colonel Ward said the disorders in - .suer were due to the British policy, die northern Government was taking an adequate share of liability in undertaking to pay one third of the damages.

Sir Godfrey Collins pointed out during the current year, £6,225,000 would he paid to sufferers in Ireland. The British exchequer, he said, would have to and £0 for every £1 found by the Ulster Government.

Sir H. Greenwood said this grant was to relieve local Ulste t - ratepayeis of a burden which meant bankruptcy to the Ulster local authorities. The cost of making peuce in Ireland, lie said, would be £10,000,000 assuming there be no untoward development.

Commander Kenworthy’s motion was negatived without division.

BELFAST SHOOTINGS

(Received this day at 8.30 a.in.) LONDON, May 18

Further shooting occurred in Belfast streets to-day. Mrs Brown, a ProtestI ant, saw seven men fire at the window !of their dwelling. She shouted to her 1 daughter to lie down. The latter, who | was overiate in obeying, was wounded. Three armed men entered the residence of Josephine Keown, a Catholic, , seeking her husband whom they shot, ! ;iiul dangerously wounded Josephine, i and slightly wounded her son. It is believed several men were Vi” last night in a prolonged struggle beI tween military and gunmen, the former using machine guns. ; Ulster trades defence association has | circularised merchants advising a boyi cott of Southern Ireland, while the lat- ; ter’s boycott of Ulster continues.