THE IRISH CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1920, Page 5

THE IRISH CRISIS.

RELEASE OF PRISONERS. ON PAROLE FOR TREATMENT; By Talegrapbi—PresJ Assn.—Copjrijht. ' Received April 15, 11,5 p.m. London, April 14. Official.—Lord French has ordered the release of the hunger-strikers whose condition wag medically regarded as dangerous. The trade union strike has been called off. Downing Street authorities state the Sinn Feinera are not to be released unconditionally, but will be on parole for medical treatment.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. BAYONET CHARGES. A CROWD FIRED ON. Received April 16, 1.5 am. London, April 14. A Dublin correspondent states Constable Harry Kells was shot dead while in plain clothes. Sixty-eight hunger strikers have been released. A riotous crowd at' Londonderry attempted to rescue the prisoners and ftoned the police. Twelve bayonet charges were not sufficient to quell the outbreak and an armoured car was railed up. This fired forty-two rounds, two civilians being wounded.—Times service.

SCENES OUTSIDE PRISON. REMARKABLE DEMONSTRATIONS. Received. April 15, 7-40 p.m. London, April 14. The chief demonstration at the Mount Joy Prison was an angry shaking of Sinn Fein flags in the direction of the prison, with Sinn Fein songs occasionally. A young woman recited the Rosary, and a thrilling effect was produced as the head 3 of the vast crowd were bared in the drizzling rain. Women, who a moment earlier had been shrieking furies, suddenly were seen quietly praying.

Throughout the day two aeroplanes circled overhead, showing that Dublin Castle was determined, and ready for any developmentThe strjke was remarkably complete. Letters from England Jay untouched on | the quays, but as the strike is voluntary no attempt is made against the people who continue work. No picture palaces or theatres are open, and are all un-sighted.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. London, April 14. Mount Joy Prison continues to be the object of pilgrimage to thousands of Irishmen, despite tanks, machine-guns, barbed wire and soldiers with fixed bayonets making it impossible to get near the gaol. Processions of grim-faced men, orderly and silent, constantly march to the gaol and back again. This passive demonstration i 3 curiously impressive. Apart from _ the processions thousands of working men and women are standing all day long around the troops, who number at least a thousand. Occasionally the mob throws mud at the soldiers, who retaliate by threatening the ,crowd with bayonets, but there has been no bloodshed. On the whole the Sinn Feiners have behaved with restraint.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

TRAGEDY AHEAD LONDON NEWSPAPER'S WARNING. London, April 14. Replying to Mr. O'Connor, Mr. Bonar Law announced that the Irish Government had decided that persons arrested or detained by order of the military authorities would in future be given ameliorative treatment from the date of their arrest until they were convicted. They would be treated entirely differently from convHuf and untried prisoners.— Au?.-N.Z Cable Assn.

London, April 14. The Daily Chronicle's political correspondent understands that the Government has decided that concessions shall be made in tlu ease of Sinn Feiners interned under the Defence of the Realm Act.

General MacKeaay has gone to Ireland. He orossi-i't the Channel in a destroyer. The Daily Chronicle, in a leader, justifies the non-release of the Sinn Feiners, stating they could not be put on trial because every man who gave evidence against them would be murdered and every judge and juryman concerned in their conviction would be marked for the same fate. "We are facing a murder conspiracy on the largest scale. It cannot be dealt with by the ordinary methods of law. Nobody likes this, but no practical alternative has been suggested."