IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 March 1918, Page 5

IRELAND.

HOME RULE QUESTION. SPEECHES AT IRISH DINNER. London, March 17. At the Irish Club dinner, Sir Thomas Mackenzie was present. 5Tr. Thomas, member of the House of Common?, said he refused to separate men and women from the great struggle in which this nation was now engaged. The issues were so great and fundamental that iio Englishman, Irish--iiuw or Welshman could remain neutral. Ireland's future was involved, became unless the war was settled on a. •iemooratie basis the only alternative was an armed Europe and an end to •Jwi:ocracy and freedom. Sir T. Mackenzie srkl he was never ■"■ We to understand whv the Dominions had been entrusted, with the management, of their own affairs while the rght was denied to Ireland.

SINN FEINERS AND POLICE,

COLLISION AT BELFAST. Received March IS, 10 p.m. London, March 18. A collision between Sinn Feiners and the police at Belfast resulted in rioting on Saturday night. ■ There were many casualties. The Sinn Feiners, with heavy stones and lighted torches, attacked the police, who charged, usii,}.< their batons. They broke up a proclaimed meeting at which De Valera was speaking.

DILLON'S APPEAL TO SINN FEINERS.

London, March 17. Mr. TJilJon, replying to congratulations from Inniskilling, said his first steps would be to tell England that her statesmen must cease talking of a League of Nations and pretending to carry on war fir the defence of small nations unless she frees a nation that has been groping under licr misgovernment for seven centuries. He hopes that within the next lew days Ireland would be allowed to i'now the result of the Convention. If settlement had not been reached the blame must rest on the members of a certain section of them. If the Convention failed the Irish question would assume a more formidable shape. Mr. Dillon asked the Sinn Feiners to drop their dangerous bluff and unite .vit.li their fellow countrymen. It was futile to discuss a possible Irish Republic.