IRELAND

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1921, Page 5

IRELAND

DRIFT TOWARDS WAR. PRESENT POLICY’S FAILURE. SENDING MORE TROOPS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received May 30, 5.5 p.m. London, May 30. General Sir Frederick Maurice, writing in the Daily News, says the decision to reinforce General Macready’s forces in Ireland means there is no longer any pretence that the Government’s policy has achieved any success or is likely to do so. It is a grave step towards changing the past eighteen months’ partwar into real war. Every day’s delay in seeking a settlement makes it more certain that the present policy’s only end will be the reconquest of Ireland, as the only alternative to war, towards which we are certainly drifting.

General Ma'urice suggests that the Northern and Southern Parliaments be told that the British Crown’s authority must be recognised. The Imperial Parliament must control national defence and foreign policy, but within these limits the Irish may settle the form of government ’ for themselves.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

BRITISH OFFICER MURDERED. ELECTION OF PRIVY COUNCIL. A PATROL AMBUSHED. London, May 29. It has now been proved that Major Compton Smith, who disappeared at Cork on April 16, has been murdered. Documents captured in a Dublin raid include a letter of farewell by Major Compton Smith to his wife, written just before the major was shot in cold blood. The letter said he was prepared to meet his fate as a brave man.

The Irish Privy Council has been elected. It consists of Earls Granard and Westmeath, Sir William Goulding, Lieutenant-General Mahon, Sir Thomas Stafford, also Messrs. Walter Kavanagh and Lawrence Waldron (Senators in the Southern Parliament).

Dublin Castle reports that Queenstown is completely isolated telegraphically. even Admiralty communication being impossible, owing to the cutting of the cables.

Sinn Feiners ambushed a patrol of Ulster special police behind a hedge at Mullaghead, Fermanagh. They killed a constable and a civilian who was speaking to him, and thpy wounded another constable. The survivers opened fire on the rebels, who fled.