December 31 1924
Curfew has been “lifted” at last; for the first time during a span of years that may be referred to as “several”, people in Belfast and all over the Six Counties can leave their homes now over a twenty-four period without incurring various pains and penalties.
The announcement issued last evening has already been received with mingled feelings.
On one side are the sturdy lovers and champions of freedom who naturally abhor all restrictions on the personal liberty of the individual. One of them explained his views in an interview last night: “I don’t want to be out of doors after 12 o’clock one night in 365,” he said, “but I want to be at liberty to go out, and to remain out, while I do no injury to anyone, at any hour of the night or morning it pleases me to do so”.
On occasion many citizens were subjected to serious inconvenience; but the other side of the case was stated briefly by the owner of a shop, who said: “My place was raided twice within two years while the curfew rule was imposed, through thieves knew they would be challenged by the police if they appeared in the public street between midnight and 5am. Now that any burglar can walk to his own hiding place as independently as if he were the Lord Mayor, and at any hour of the morning, with his booty in his pocket or under his top-coat. I expect the industry of Bill Sykes and Charles Pearce will prosper and wax more profitable than shipbuilding or linen-making. What on earth does the average man or woman want to do outside the doors of a house after 12 in the night?
“In my opinion, the health of the public was greatly benefitted by the imposition of curfew, and the temptation to folly were restricted so thoroughly that the fools amongst our population were diminished by 66 per cent. Now the fools will renew their careers of folly. I may be prejudiced; but I wish the government had kept that wholesome curfew on for another year, if not forever.”
People must disagree to the end of time on simple and complex questions; but the minister’s hope that “it will not be necessary to re-impose the curfew on the whole or any part of Northern Ireland” will be shared by everyone.
While most people welcomed the removal of the curfew which had been in place since the summer of 1920, others missed the level of security it provided.
