ANTI-SINN FEIN RIOT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1916, Page 7

ANTI-SINN FEIN RIOT.

MEETING-ROOM WRECKED. POLICE INJURED WHILE MAKING ARRESTS. News received in Wellington this week from Ireland (says the Times) contains details of a little "iffav" in Tullamore, King's County, which, while regarded at the. time as "much ado about notning" (to quote a local paper's comment), is interesting in the light of subsequent happenings.

For some time bad blood had been brewing between the rival factions in Tullamore—the Sinn Feiners and the poorer working-class people who had fathers, sons and other near relatives in the army and at the front, fighting for their country. This ill-feeling became accentuated in the latter part of March. Several exhibitions of bitterness occurred, and culminated in riotous scenes around the Sinn Fein Club room. Some soldiers of the 7th Lancers, returning to rejoin their regiment, were seen oft by friends at the railway station, and the friends then turned their attention to the Sinn Feiners.

'.l/he night's proceedings were, in the early hour's, merely a display of children carrying miniature Union Jacks, who indulged in groans outside the room in which the Sinn Feiners assembled. "A little vigilance then," says the Tullamore Independent, "and the after unpleasant happenings would have been avoided, but it is easy to predict after the event. No one expected anything out of the usual was likely to happen."

As the night advanced the crowd grew.. The demonstration outside the Sinn Fein room became more pronounced, and some windows were smashed. The occupants replied with revolver shots fired over the heads of the demonstrators to frighten them away. But they were not frightened; t'licy were only made more determined.

A few policemen, with County Inspector Crane, gained admittance to the. room in which the Sinn Pernors were, fourteen in number. While the excitement reigned, the Sinn Feiners lield themselves at bay. and a hasty attempt to disarm them precipitated a seriotis Iracas.

Automatic pistols were fired, and Sergeant Alierne, a popular poliqc ofl'icer, who had been for thirty years doing duty in the district, was struck by two or three bullets and seriously injured. The County'' Inspector was badly 'hurt about the face and two other officers suffered lesser injuries. Four arrests were made, and while the police were conveying their prisoners to the barrack'- in the adjoining street the crowd pelted theni with stones. Others entered t7ie Sinn Fein premises and completely wrecked the interior. After that matters gradually quietened down. Subsequently nine other arrests were made.