MORE EXPLOSIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1940, Page 5

MORE EXPLOSIONS

I.R.A. TERRORISTS SUSPECTED

DAMAGE AT EUSTON STATION AND ELSEWHERE. BOMBS DISCOVERED IN FLAT. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 6. Two explosions occurred in mailbags at Euston Station while they were being loaded from vans into the Birmingham train. A postal official was blown off his feet and slightly injured. Special police engaged in I.R.A. work rushed to the scene. It was later revealed that two men were injured in the eyes while another was also injured. One is being detained in hospital. Others, after treatment, were allowed to go home. Another explosion occurred in Birmingham. The explosions occurred simultaneously. They are believed to be due to balloon bombs. Letters and parcels were strewn over the station at Euston. An intensive search was made of pillarboxes and telephone kiosks in the neighbourhood of the station. Two manholes were blown up near Piccadilly Circus, the pavements being shattered. Police searching a London flat discovered a number of hatboxes containing partly made timebombs and one complete bomb, capable of blowing up a whole building. It was timed to go off within two hours. Mr Dulanty, Eire High Commissioner in London, has been instructed to see Mr Chamberlain and plead for clemency for Barnes and Richards.

REPRIEVE REFUSED PRISONERS TO BE EXECUTED. LONDON. February 5. The Home Secretary, Sir John Anderson, refused to reprieve Barnes and Richards, who are under sentence of death for complicity in the Coventry explosion. They will be executed this Wednesday. Mrs Laura Ansell, of Coventry, the mother of the girl victim of the explosion in connection with which Barnes and Richards were charged with murder, died today, having failed to recover from the shock of her daughter’s death. The police are co-operating in secret plans to prevent further I.R.A. outrages.

PLEA FOR CLEMENCY

MANY REPRESENTATIONS BEING

(Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 6. Influential persons, including Mr de Valera and the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury are supporting the appeal made on behalf of Barnes and Richards against their execution. The Eireann Cabinet devoted a long time io a discussion of the case. The Labour Party of Northern Ireland sent a telegram to the Home Secretary appealing for clemency “for the sake of peaceful relations between England and Eire.” The playwright, Sean O'Casey, Mr J. B. S. Haldane, a member of the House of Commons; Mr D. N. Pritt and Mr H. W. Nevinson, in a letter to the Government said the executions, if carried out, would only arouse hatred and bitterness among Irish at a time when it was most undesirable. Special squads of armed police are guarding Birmingham Gaol. It is now revealeor mat the arrest of Barnes and others in September frustrated a plot to cause explosions in London, larger and more disastrous than the Coventry outrage. .

INTERVENTION URGED INTERVIEWS WITH MR EDEN & PRIME MINISTER. (Received This Day, 1.1.5 a.m.) LONDON, February G. Mr Dulanty saw Mr Eden about the executions. Later he is seeing Mi Chamberlain. The Lord Mayor of Dublin telegraphed to' the Mayor of Coventry urging his intervention on behalf of the condemned men in the hope of achieving enduring English-Eireann peace. The Mayor of Coventry replied that he regretted it was too late tp intervene and added that such lawlessness will never accomplish the desired happy relations. FURTHER OUTRAGES EXPLOSION AT MANCHESTER > POST OFFICE. POLICE SEARCH CONTINUING. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, February 6. A. bomb exploded in the parcel sorting office of the Manchester post office. No one was injured. An attendant found a bomb in the main hall of the Liverpool post office and placed in a bucket of waler. The police searched all departments.