KING AND IRELAND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 9749, 14 December 1922, Page 5

KING AND IRELAND

MESSAGE OF GOODWILL.

FUTURE OF THE FREE STATE.

SPEECH BY GOVERNOR-GENERAL

(Per Press Association, Copyright.) LONDON, December 12. Mr T. M. Healey, Governor-General of the Irish Free State, addressing a joint assembly of the Senate and the Dail, said he. had received the following message from the King:— With the final enactment of its constitution as a self-governing Dominion, the Irish Efiee into, being, it is my earnest hope that, by thf faithful observance by all sides of the pact concluded, peace and prosperity in Ireland may M ,bpe secured m the spirit of that set- :, ;tlement. >j 1 have chosen you ,to be the first .representative of the Crown in : the' Free State. - With all my heart I • i pray‘that the blessing of Godhimay rest updn yon and the < Ministers of the f ree State in the difficult task committed to your ■ -cnarge. L' , , , vi r Healey said he had sent the following reply : “ . ' , Tne terms of your Majesty s message will touch all hearts, while the thought :. which ' inspired it must everywhere evoke the ’ admiration of men of goodwill. .1 humbly join in beseeching tne Almighty that the reign of - rreedom now established, in Irelands will bring with it early peace and prosperity, as well as a lasting reconciliation between the British and Irish nations. In his speech, Air Healey said: _A Constitution has been devised under which the most patriotic yearnings for the re-creation of the national life and identity of the country in language, thought, literature, and art, - for progress along secure dines ’’ of social and economic development, and for assurance in ’. happiness and Contentment, are offered the utmost free play. Ihe Irish Free State enters into the fullness of partnership in liberty with tre nations co-operating in co-equal membership of a great commonwealth of free peoples. Unhappily a small number have not bowed to the will of the majority, and have engaged m hostile operations and spread rum broadcast by an attempt to impose their will on the majority by means ofterrorand destruction. They have failedun their, attempt to upset the Treaty, but have enhanced to’fin incalculable extent the prbblem of - unemployed. Our first care must be ’ tti' end this disorder speedily'” ' 1 :! ! Mr Healey said 'it was the Governments duiy to, take steps to constitute a commission which\ would determine 'the boundaries between Ulster and the Free Siate. legislation would he .required for. the extension of the franchise, the establishment of a judicial' system, civil police,, and national defence, and provismn for compensation; in land purchase and other matters- consequential on irer ,;, new constitutional status.