THE BELFAST STRIKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 17 August 1907, Page 3

THE BELFAST STRIKE.

Mr Grayson’s Speech.

London, August 15,

A conference at Belfast, to arrange for a settlement of the strike troubles, is progressing satisfactorily. Mr Grayson, M.P., in a letter to “ The Times,” says his speech at Huddersfield was misreported. Referring to the terrible incidents at Belfast, he remarked that the fight was most unequal, since one side had military training, ball cartridge, Gatlings, and bayonets, and the other only broken bottles. His statement was a very different thing to that attributed to him. A cable message published on Wednesday stated that Mr Grayson, Socialist M.P. for Colne Valley Division of Yorkshire (elected last’ month in place of Sir J. B. Kitson, who was raised to the had said that ‘ ! the soldiers were weary of idleness and would like to spill a little blood. If the people were without shrapnel, they had broken bottles to throw.”

The riotous attacks on the police in the Falls road were identical with those upon the alleged blackleg carters and so-called blackleg military and constabulary protecting them. Orangemen and Unionists of Belfast have appealed to sympathisers to avoid saying anything likely to lead to disorder. The priests of Belfast have assumed police duties, and made themeslves, with the Magistrates, responsible for the maintenance of peace.