IRISH PERIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1922, Page 5

IRISH PERIL.

CIVIL WAR MENACE. THE CONFERENCE FAILS. ULSTER FEARS INVASION. ANXIETY IN LONDON. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received June 2, 9.15 p.m. London, June 1. A prolonged conference, in which Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Winston Churchill, Lord Birkenhead, and Sir Hamar Greenwood have been most active, failed to find a solution for the problems arising from the draft constitution for the Irish Free State. Aftei’ a discussion with Mr. Collins, Mr. Griffiths, and the other Irish delegates Cabinet came to the conclusion that the constitution does not carry out the letter or the spirit of the treaty, and asked that it be revised. The only hope is that the conference of Irish leaders at Dublin during the week-end may lead to a decision to revise the draft constitution and thus save Ireland a renewal of warfare. It is understood the draft in no way follows the Canadian precedent as was promised, and in some respects it is a violation of the Canadian system. The Government warned the Free Staters that any attempt to deviate from the terms of the treaty must wreck the treaty and reverse the Government’s policy. J Mr. Collins replied that he was per- ! sonally desirous of carrying out the i treaty, but everything must be done I to reconcile the de Valera party. I Mr. Collins, interviewed to-night, Admitted that the situation was “not without difficulty, but the difficulties were created by people in high places.” Asked to explain, he said: “We cannot allow Vnen like Carson to dictate what is best for Ireland.” Mr. Collins is returning to Dublin to-night and Messrs. Griffith and Duggan are staying on in London. The political correspondents of the London dailies admit that civil war in Ireland is not far off. The latest news is that Lord Balfour is talcing a hand in the negotiations. He will see Sir James Craig and Lord Londonderry on rr, rWe is anxiety on the part of the Northern Government regarding the invasion, resulting in much activity at Lough Foyle, where the destroyer Warwick arrived. Part of the lough is m Free State territory and the Free State authorities challenge the British rignt of search there. There are already nineteen Biitisn battalions in Ulster, in addition to artillery, which is moving nearer the frontier. FIGHTING ON ULSTER BORDER. BRITISH TROOPS SENT. London, June 2. Fighting is proceeding on a mile front on the Louth border. British troops are ■ being rushed thither. The Manchester Regiment has been ordered to proceed to Ireland on the 20th. [The Louth border is the South-East corner of Ulster, near the coast. Former fighting was near Londonderry, in the extreme North-West.] DE VALERA’S ATTITUDE. NO FEAR OF THREATS. Received June 2, 8.5 p.m. London, June 2. Mr. De Valera has issued a statement in which he says: “Mr. Churchills threats do not effect us. We deny the right of any English authority to prescribe what Irishmen should or should not do.” THE ULSTER PREMIER. INTERVIEW WITH MR. LLOYD GEORGE. Received June 2, 5.5 p.m. London, June 1. Sir James Craig (Premier of Northern Ireland) and Lord Londonderry had a lengthy interview with Mr. Lloyd George. It is understood the latter submitted the Government’s views on the Collins-de Valera pact.