16 DECEMBER 1922, Page 2

On Thursday, December 7th, Mr. Sean Hales and Mr. O'Malley,

the Deputy Speaker, were attacked when driving to the Free State Parliament. Mr. Hales was - shot dead and Mr. O'Malley WU& wounded. No arrests seem to have -been made. On the same day the Northern Parliament passed an Address to the King- expressing the desire of the North to stand out of the Free State Constitution. The Prime Minister in the Northern House of Commons declared that the Boundary Commission was ultra vires, as the bargain had been- made without the consent of the House. On Friday, December 8th, four Irish Republican prisoners, including. Mr. Rory O'Connor and -Mr.- Limn Mellowes, were shot "as a reprisal" for the assassination of Mr. Hales. We have written on this subject fully elsewhere.