IRISH AGREEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1921, Page 5

IRISH AGREEMENT

MUTUAL CONCESSIONS BOOE ULSTER SAFEGUARDED SINN FEIN ALLEGIANCE (Press Association. —Extraordinary) Received December 6, 5.5 p.m. London, Dee. 6. An Irish agreement has been readied. The Irish Conference terminated at 1.20 p.m., and a member of the Cabinet informed a pressman that an agreement had been reached, the terms of which would be communicated to-day. The Conference agreed regarding new allegiance formula. The Government has already submitted to Sir James Craig (Premier of Northern Ireland) the text of the agreement, which provides mutual concessions. The Sinn Feiners are confident that the terms will be acceptable to the South. Mr. Lloyd George does not anticipate difficulty with regard to Ulster, whose rights are fully safeguarded.

PEACE OR WAR? THE FATEFUL conference. PREMIER SEES THE KING. Received Dec. 6, 8.5 p.m. London, Dec. 5. The King gave an hour’s audience to Mr. Lloyd George in connection with Irish affairs. The last minute peace or war conference between the British and Sinn Fein delegates was still proceeding at midnight. When the Sinn Feiners left Downing Street at seven o’clock they took Mr. Lloyd George’s last word for the purpose of private consideration and discussion. The conference was timed to resume at ten o’clock. At that hour the British representatives assembled, awaiting the Irishmen, who did not arrive until eleven twenty. The proceedings were drastically secret. A large crowd, including hundreds of British and American journalists, assembled in the vicinity, hoping to hear a chance word regarding the result. A destroyer was held in readiness to convey the Government’s proposals to Sir James Craig by the appointed time. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SPEECH BY DE VALERA. MESSAGE TO VOLUNTEERS. Received Dec. 6, 8.30 p.m. London, Dec. 5. Mr. De Valera receiving the freedom of Limerick, said they would remember Limerick, the city of a violated treaty, when having to deeide if they could trust certain people. Mr. De Valera reviewed volunteers, to whom he urged strict obedience and discipline. They should be prepared to resist the invader as their forefathers had done.—Aus.-N-Z. Cable Assn. A REASONED NEGATIVE. London, Dec. 5. The Times, in a leader dealing with Ireland, describes the Sinn Fein reply as a reasoned negative, not breaking off negotiations. The Government aitficnlty now is how to design a scheme giving Ulster the opinion of remaining aloof, combined with powerful inducements to enter. To concede more than Parliament is likely to endorse would create a greater ! difficulty than now exists. The delivery of the reply to Sir James Craig within the time limit is less important than the definiteness of such a reply. ALLEGED BREACH OF TRUCE. FIVE OFFICERS POLICE REINFORCED. London, Dec. 4. Five officers -of the Worcestershirca who were watching an I.R.A. review near Loughrea on Saturday, were surrounded by Sinn Fein volunteers, arrested, and deprived of their cameras, notebooks, and arms, besides being detained for two hours, the Sinn Feiners alleging a breach of the truce. Warders Patrick Leonard and Michael Finnegan, who were charged with conspiring to murder Constables Gorman and Little on December 2, were remand ; ed. Callaghan (a motorist) was also remanded on a charge of assisting prisoners to attempt to escape. Public feeling is most tense, and disturbances are feared, in consequence of which the police have been heavily reinforced. Firing occurred on Saturday night. A bomb was flung from the city walls, wrecking the house occupied by a Catholic ex-serviceman. There were no casualties.

BEFORE THE AGREEMENT. AN IRISH PAPER’S OUTBURST. CHALLENGE TO BRITAIN. Received Dec. 6, 10.35 p.m. London, Dec. 6. Besides Mr. De Valera’s bellicose speeches, which are causing the gravest disquietude even in moderate Sinn Fein circles, the Irish Bulletin continues to discuss the position unambiguously. It says: “For the first time for centuries our armed revolt, lias succeeded, but the Irish people are aware that eventual military defeat is probable. They prefer methods of peace and opposition will to will, but if a resumption of war is forced on them, and if Britain recommences her assaults on her national institutions. Ireland will return to war in their defence, and her manhood will be glad of a renewed opportunity of proving their faithfulness to the traditions of their race. Britain may be confident of ultimate success, but it will be an illusory success. Britain can do nothing new, and she must use weapons y.-e have already broken in its hands. The soul of a people cannot be attacked by British arms, and it is in the soul of her people that Ireland and her freedom live, and have indestructible being.”—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.