POSITION WORSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1922, Page 5

POSITION WORSE.

REBELS ATTACK BANK. INTENSE STREET FIGHTING. 4 DISLOCATION OF BUSINESS. - Received June 30, 5.5 p,m. London, June 29. A sensation of to-day’s fighting was the rebels’ attack on the Bank of Ireland. The Free Staters replied, but were obliged to retreat into the bank. Later reports state the situation is becoming worse. Rebels have planted land mines in the leading thoroughfares. They seized the Sackville Club. Street fighting is becoming more frequent. Three civilians i were killed to-day. The irregulars occuplied the Herald offices for a time during a street fight. The General Post Office is closed, while other buildings are also shut. Fresh terms were offered those in possession of the Four Courts, but they refused to surrender, and firing was resumed. Early evacuation is expected, however, as water and light have been cut off. Lord Clancarty has arrived at Holyhead. He said the firing of the attacking Free Staters was very poor and ineffective, and was at the rate of one shot every four minutes. (The above message was lodged at 6.5 p.m., before the news of the surrender was received.) GUERILLA WARFARE. DEVELOPING IN THE CITY. ] HELP FROM BRITISH. Received June 30, 8.20 p.m. London, June 29. Messages received at nine o’clock this evening indicate that it is unlikely the Free Staters will carry the Four Courts by assault, as the building offers a strong defensive position. Meanwhile the guerilla tactics of the Republicans are developing in various quarters of the city, and this J phase is causing considerable anxiety. I Mr. Churchill, in the House of Commons, stated he had no fresh information '.regarding the Irish situation, adding: “We are confining our assistance to supplying any material the Free Staters may require.” The Provisional Government was not reporting to him in any way. The Minister for Defence in Dublin, iu a message to the Free State Army, says that while the Government deny the right of any but Irishmen to interfere in national affairs, they also deny the right of any section of Irishmen to bring disorder upon the country. The Government, in a further proclamation, says a section of the Irish people are devoting themselves to destroying all functions of the Government in a desire to embroil our people once more with the British. Money has been stolen, property confiscated or destroyed, and Irish honor sullied by murderous attacks on defenceless civilians. On these misguided persons alone rests the responsibility for any loss of life that may ensue.

SUPPRESSING THE REBELS. A LONG TASK AHEAD. Received June 30, 9.30 p.m. London, June 29. Sir L. Worthington Evans (Secretary for War), speaking at Colchester, said seven out of eight Southern Irelanders were loyal, and the disloyalists were the desperate murderers who were now gunning. They were as much opposed to the true interests )f Ireland as they were against the United Kingdom. He was certain that Mr. Collins and Mr. Griffith intended to carry cut the terms of the Treaty and overthrow the Republicans.

“But don’t imagine we are going to have an easy time,” he added. “It is likely to be long before the rebels are completely put down. It is satisfactory that there is a loyal bit of Ireland prepared, as part of the Empire, to fight against the rebels in their own country. Hitherto the dirt}’ work was left to the British Army. Now the cleaning-up is left to the Irish Government.”