IRISH AFFAIRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1923, Page 2

IRISH AFFAIRS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION’]

ARREST OF REPUBLICANS'

LONDON. March 12. At least one hundred arrests of Irish Republicans were made in various parts of Britain. In every case the detectives were armed, as it was known that several of the revolutionary leaders in Britain were desperate men, who carried arms, and who threatened to uso them accordingly.

It was arranged that the arrests ill practically all cases, should be, made when the wanted men were in bed. This arrangement was excellently carried out.

Some important documents were seized showing tha some ol those arrested were engaged in a- traffic in aims. In Brixton, Camberwell, Islington, Waltham Green. Netting Hill, Hackney—some of the London districts which were tabled—those arrested taken to the nearest police station botore they were sent Lo the Liverpool Street Station, for entraining to Liverpool. Tn Glasgow each arrested person was ~ spreveiited with a paper, signed “Novar” stating that the accused was chaired with acting in a manner prejudicial to the restoration of law and order in Ireland. Another raid was made in Dundee, Scotland, where- Pat O'Neill, a teacher in a Roman Catholic school was arrested . Doncaster and Sheffield were among the English towns where Irishmen were taken. Alost of the arrests made in Liverpool were made in the Scotland Road quarter of-the city. These men and women were taken to Bridewell, which is the chief gaol in Liverpool, and were then driven, in prison vans, to the cruiser “Castor”, which had been ly- ~ ing in the Alcrsey River for two oi three days. Every detective in the Liverpool Force was engaged in the raids, which were carried out with astonishing secrecy. In some cases a husband, wife, grown-up son and daughter. were taken. In each ease they were told to pack up their clothes and their other belongings, as it was unlikely that they would he allowed to return to their homes in England. Meanwhile, special trains wore arri#« ing from other parts of the country a ,ul processions of the deported persons passed along the quays through an avenue of fixed bayonets to the “Castor where the landing stage had specially Smcn barricaded off.

Twenty-five girls and women who were among those arrested, were escorted by the police, who carried their suit eases. They also were accompanied by six women police wardresses. Must of these women were smartly dressed and they seemed to be in good spirits, though one girl was highly hysterical, and she clenched her lists and waved her hands wildly. One arrested women was a doctor with a Liverpool practice. Each man was escorted by two policemen, who held his arms tightly.

Art O’Brien was living in a fiat in Drayton Gardens. London. Ho took no notice of the police until they shattered a glass fanlight, when the door was opened. O’Brien was arrested and given a few minutes in which to pack his bag and hid his wife farewell. Another man arrested was Peter Murphy, aged 70 years, who was a newsagent in Liverpool, where he kept a shop known as “The Irish House,” where Irish literature and papers were sold.

The last sight of the deportees was the Ik*iuls of pretty girls and matronly worn* ii poked from the port-holes of the cruiser “Castor” as she steamed down tlie River Mersey, when all the deportees were singing Irish airs.

DEPORTEES FROM GLASGOW. LONDON, March 12. Two destroyers arrived at the Clyne in darkness and quietly drew up at the Queen’s Dock. The Irish Republicans surprised, were in a few minutes hustled into waiting police motor vans and hurried to the dock. '1 hoy were on the high seas, going to Ireland, before, they realised what had happened. ’lfiie raid was due to a suggestion ol the Free State Government.

The Glasgow Irish Republicans who were not arrested met on Sunday evening to consider possible reprisals.