IRISH TURMOIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10609, 7 June 1920, Page 5

IRISH TURMOIL

CORK DOCKERS STRIKE A PLEA TO THE RAILWAYMEN, By Telegraph— Press Assn.— Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received June 6, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 5. Tho dockers at Cork have refused to discharge a shipment of barbed wire, intended to be used to fortify the police barracks. Mr H. Thomas, 'M.P., has telegraphed to tho Irish branch of tho National Union of Railway men asking thorn to resume work pending a conference at Bristol on June loth regarding the handling of munitions.

IN AMERICA THE MISSION OF HE VALERA. NEW YORK., June 5. Sixty members of the Yale faculty have' protested against tho Congressional expression of sympathy with tho Irish cause. De Valera arrived at Chicago today. Ho announced that ho would try to obtain the Republican party’s declaration in favour of tho recognition of an Irish Republic by the United States. CZEGHO-SLOVAKIA 'possibilities of direct TRADING. Australian and N v > ' : ■ ui. , PRAGUE, June 4. The Australian Press Agency interviewed M. Hotowotz, Minister lor Commerce, regarding tho prospects of direct trading arrangements being made with Australia and New Zealand. M. Hotowotz' welcomed tho idea and said that Czecho-Slovakia needs raw materials in order to re-estWilish her industries. Tho problem is one of finance, and it would be necessary to obtain credits or make special arrangements because the exchange was so seriously against Czecho-Slovakia. Already she had secured nine months’ credit from tho United States, from where she was importing cotton direct which formerly was purchased in London and Liverpool. The new republic looks hopefully towards Britain, inasmuch ns Britain was the first Power to officially recognise the Czecho-Slovaks’ national rights, which resulted in her gaining her independence. He would ho glad to think it was possible to develop friendly relations with the British Dominions also. Hitherto Czecho-Slovakia had purchased Australian and New Zealand wool in the English market,_ and she would bare difficulty in obtaining tho required quantities she now expects on a system of credits. Ho would willingly negotiate with a view to ascertaining whether it was possible to establish a practical trading arrangement with Australia and Now Zealand to their mutual advantage. Czecho-Slovakian labour was cheaper than in Britain. She would supply manufactured textiles, glassware, porcelain, and paper in payments. M. Hotowetz suggests that Australian and New Zealand producers should test the practicability of tho scheme by sending small sample quantities of raw materials to responsible Czech Slovakian manufacturers, thus enabling them to investigate results.