MICHAEL COLLINS KILLED

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1922, Page 3

MICHAEL COLLINS KILLED

(QABLE NEWS.

GREAT EXCITEMENT CAUSED. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON, August 23 Mr Michael Collins, the head of the Irish Free. State Provisional Government has been, killed. He was ambushed at Baudon, and was killed there.

LONDON, Aug. 23. Mr Michael Collins’ death is officially cob finned. The news has created greater excitement in Belfast than that caused by Mr Arthur Griffiths’ death. It is recognised ns the gravest blow to the Free Staters. The Free State Government has issued a proclamation to the Army, urging the troops not to indulge in any reprisals. j

HIS LAST ACT. .(Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug 23. Mr Collins was engaged inspecting the South Western Command.. THE DAIL TO MEET. LONDON, Aug 23. It is officialy announced the Dail will be summoned immediately, probably on Saturday. MR LLOYD GEORGE’S TRIBUTE (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug 23.

The Prime Minister in a message to Cosgrove, Acting Chairman of the Provincial Government said :—‘ ‘I am deeply grieved to hear of Mr Collins death The Free State has lost a fearless soldier leader, with great energy and devotion, a man of remarkable per sonal charm. Please convey to members of your Goveernent my profound sympathy at the loss of one of Ireland’s sons ,at the moment that Ireland most. needed his special qualities of courage and resolution.”

BELFAST COMMENT. (Recoived this day at 8.30 a.m.) • _ LONDON, Aug 23. The Belfast “Telegraph” says the blow to the ‘Free State is almost irreparable. Griffith and Collins leave no outsanding figure behind them. Ulster will sympathise with the Free State, in its trials and tragedies, which , are not due to either England or Ulster, but to Irishmen themselves.

AMERICAN COMMENT. (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, Aug 23. The press is mo s t bitter against Collins’ assassination. The “Post” says if those who murdered Collins dealt a soTe blow at the Free State, they have completely sealed their own ruin. Ireland will find a. new unity in the shock ol' assassination, which will rally all elements to the Free State with devotion.

“The Mail” thinks it is much mistaken in its estimate of the Irish people, if the murder does not harden their wills towards ending the revolution. A telegram says Collins has been a s foully murdered as Marshall Wilson. His death is a sorry day for Ireland.

OUTCOME OF DEATH. (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 23. Mr Collins’ death is likely to precipitate a new political situation. The next meeting of the Dail Eireann will be pregnant with interest. It is noteworthy of live of the principal signatories' to the Treaty only Duggan is now functioning in Parliament. Griffiths and Collins are dead, Barton Duffy has re-signed from the Government, while Secretary Childers lias gone over to the rebels.

MR COLLINS’ SWEETHEART. LONDON, August 23. The Evening News” states Mr Collins was to have married Miss Kitty Kiernan, a pretty Longford girl, ns soon as the military situation in the south was cleared They met under romantic circumstances. Collins was on tie run from British forces and she travelled nil night to a lonely cabin where he was hiding, to inform him that the police were coming to arrest him.

PARTICULARS OF ATTACK. (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 23. Particulars of the attack show a large party of irregulars attacked a party with which Collins was travelling. The attack was beaten off with the aid of armoured cars. I-envy casualties wgre inflicted on the Irregulars. tA bullet struck Collins iu the forehead, towards the end of the fight and he expired in a few minutes. His Inst words were —“Forgi/c thorn.”

LONDON'S RECEPTION. LONDON, August 23. News of the death of Mr Collins was received in London with horror and indignation. It is felt that the removal pf Ireland’s foremost constructive statesman casts into a. deeper shadow, the dark Irish situation. THE LEADERS DANGER. (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug 23. Though the stirring, but restrained message to the' Army indicates that others are ready to take up the burdens and dangers of leadership, which have fallen so suddenly from his and

Mr Griffiths’ shoulders, there is no 'doubt those dangers are not small. Saturday night’s determined bombing and fusilading near Dublin of a car wherein Collins was supposed to he. showed clearly the desperate state of mind into which their crushing defeat had plunged the extremists. It is reported that similar designs are entertained against other Ministers while the guerilla warfare is becoming more intense.

THE AMBUSH. LONDON, Aug 23 Mr Collins, accompanied by Major General Dalton, Commandant Dolan, . and Capt. Conroy was travelling in an ■fC open motor-ear from Bandon to Maef Roon, with a guard in the second car. After passing through the village at 6.30 on Tuesday evening, Irregulars hiding in the surrounding hilly wooded country opened fire. Collins’ party were injured and took cover and exchanged shots for half an hour when