Amnesty offer, house raids, arrests and a meeting for motor car owners...

Amnesty Offer Expires Soon

THE offer of an amnesty to those in revolt against the Free State to surrender their arms expires tomorrow. President Cosgrave has issued a statement which may be regarded as the last word on the possibility of peace negotiations.

Free State Military Reports

Official military reports issued to-day state: National Troops raided a house in Nicholas Street and captured one Lee Enfield rifle (butt missing); one shot gun (barrel missing), 300 feet of fuse wire, one revolver holster, a rifle belt, a bayonet and several rounds of ammunition. A large quantity of Irregular literature was also found and a man named Donovan was arrested.

In the house of Mary MacSwiney, Belgrave Place, a stencil machine was captured which had been in use for some time producing Irregular leaflets and propaganda.

Recently arrested are: George Costello, Merchant’s Quay, Timothy Buckley, Broad Street, Cora Cronin, Thomas Davis Street, Timothy O’Callaghan, Barrack Street and Jeremiah O’Flynn, Beasley Street. All were found assembled in a house on Barrack Street for the purposes of holding a meeting.

O’Flynn and Cronin are active Irregulars and have evaded arrest for some time. Buckley is believed to be an Intelligence Officer.

Raid on a Poteen Still

Late last night Volunteer Michael Aherne, a native of Knocknagoshel, Co. Kerry, was admitted to the Mercy Hospital suffering from a bullet wound in the abdomen received at Drimoleague. He was one of a party of National Troops carrying out a raid for a poteen still when they were fired on from a house. He is in a serious condition.

Holidays and Half-Holidays

Among the matters discussed at last night’s Cork Corporation meeting was a reply from the City Solicitor regarding employee holidays. The Solicitor said that in 1914 the Local Government Board questioned the Corporation’s right to grant its employees half holidays. The matter was contested at the time and a settlement was arrived at whereby the Board consented to the granting of five half-holidays in the year on race days and regatta days. This was in consideration of the fact that they got no other holidays. But when the formalised granting of holidays was later introduced the question of half-holidays became illegal.

Another letter was read from the President of U.C.C. inquiring if the Corporation would contribute towards the cost of erecting ornamental railing similar to that at the Mardyke boundary with Fitzgerald’s Park. It is needed in order to replace the unsightly barbed wire fencing on the boundary wall of the University Sports Ground on the Mardyke. The matter was referred to the Public Works Committee. A suggestion by John Horgan was also approved, viz. that the University’s attention be drawn to the derelict condition in which the once beautiful entrance to the College on the Western Road has been allowed to remain.

“Really, the University authorities should do something to remedy this piece of destruction”, he said.

Munster Motor Association

A public meeting of the owners of motor cars was held at the Victoria Hotel, Patrick Street yesterday for the purpose of forming an association to be known as the Munster Motor Association. There were 50 motor owners present, in addition, 100 replies had been received to a circular. R.H. Tilson was moved to the chair. Discussion was lengthy with the issues of most urgent concern being motor tax reform, road improvements, danger points and horse and pedestrian traffic.

“The motorist was an exceedingly blamed individual and stringent regulations would have to be introduced to deal with horse traffic, even in the city”, said the chairman. “A large percentage of horse-drawn vehicles did not even observe the rule of the road”. Going forth. the Association hoped to approach local authorities in a constructive way with a view to making the roads safe for the public at large.

Poles and Lithuanians Clash

The Poles began to occupy the neutral zone in the Vilna district on Thursday and clashed with Lithuanian troops. The latter retreated leaving dead, wounded and prisoners. The sovereignty of Memel has been assigned to the Lithuanians. At present they occupy the northern part of the town and the French the southern part.

Daddy’s Lost his ‘Tache!

Considerable amusement was caused at the Old Bailey by a defendant who had shaved off his moustache.

“It was a deep, fairish moustache”, said one witness, “and I had a shock when I saw him without it. I was on holiday at the time”.

Counsel, “I hope the holiday enabled you to withstand the shock” (laughter).

Another witness said that defendant’s little boy said to him, “Daddy’s got his ‘tache off!”.

The father then asked his son how he liked him without it, and was answered, “you look better with it off old man” (laughter).