Galway In Days Gone By

1920

War extends to finance

The battle between Ireland and England has extended to finance. We have seen this week the results that are bound to follow the stoppage of grants to the Local Taxation Account in the case of Dublin Corporation.

Local boards throughout over three-fourths of Ireland have replied by refusing to pay further interest or principal on loans. Indeed, the power to control local bodies has altogether passed out of the hands of British Boards in Ireland, as intelligent observers believe forever.

The three hundred and odd officials of the Local Government Board at the Custom House no longer serve any useful purpose in Ireland. Their auditors are not now recognised.

Rates are no longer lodged in the banks, where they would be liable to seizure in certain circumstances; they are held in trust for the various boards. Of the five millions advanced under the Labourers’ (Ireland) Acts for the building of cottages, only three millions have been repaid.

As two millions remain due under this head alone, it is obvious that local boards hold a strong trump card. People are already speculating what is to happen in connection with the annuities under the Land Purchase Acts. The keenest intellects of Sinn Féin have anticipated and provided for every stage in the revolution through which we are passing.

As long as the British Government remains unable to substitute statesmanship for force, Sinn Féin can win over three-fourths of Ireland by passive resistance alone.

Raid on rail stores

Early on Tuesday morning about five tons of hay in bales, which was lying at Galway Railway Station store, awaiting delivery to the Dragoon Guards at Earl’s Island, was taken outside y a number of men and burned.

A railway official named Graham was locked in an adjoining building whilst the raid was in progress. The fire was discovered shortly before 3 a.m. by an urban council watchman, who notified the town steward, but nothing could be done to save any of the hay.

Hay in the railway wagons near the store apparently escaped unnoticed by the raiders, and was carted away by the military on Tuesday. A quantity of barbed wire belonging to the military has also been removed from the station and no trace of it has been found.

The railway station is within sight of the Renmore military barracks which is situated about a quarter of a mile way. Each bale contained one cwt. the precaution of removing the hay from the store was evidently to prevent the risk of any part of the building taking fire.

The hay was evidently sprinkled with paraffin or petrol before being set fire to. Some of the barbed wire was found in a field at the back of the railway station.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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