OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 38, 25 November 1940, Page 6

OBITUARY.

VISCOUNT CRAIGAVON. NORTHERN IRELAND PREMIER. & (United Press Association—Copyright ) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, November Viscount Oraigavon, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, is dead, aged 67.

In tile stormy politics of Ireland the figure of James Craig, Viscount Craigavon, is outstanding. Ho has been one of the strongest opponents to the division of Ireland as well as to tine attempt to turn the Emerald Lsle into a Republic. Viscount Craigavon first entered' politics ini 1902, contesting the North Fermanagh seat, and he has been prominent in Ulster affairs ever since. When lie whs raised to the peerage in 1927 hie took the name of his ancestral home, Craigavon, foy his title. This district, in which he has lived all his life, was one of. the great centres of political activity throughout the Ulster campaign, against the Home Rule Act of 1914, and as he occupied a seat in Parliament for East Down from 1906 to 1918 it can lie understood that he was one of the principal leaders in the great outburst of feeling which occurred in Northern Ireland at the time. He was in those distant days one of the most indefatigable and devoted of Lord Carson’s supporters, both in Ulster and in the. Ho use of Commons, and his succession to the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party was almost a foregone conclusion. When he accepted the office of Premier of Northern Ireland, however, lie abandoned a most promising career in British politics, having already held several high political offices. In 1018 lie received tine honour of a baronetcy as a tribute to the valuable work he had done over a period' of years in maintaining a firm stand for Empire unity. One of the greatest monuments to his diplomatic genius was his handling of the very debatable boundary question between the Irish Free State and Ulster, a question which, at one period, had all the elements making for civil way. When the mattey was finally disposed of, he was congratulated by the citizens of Belfast and was presented with a large silver loving cup in recognition of his services toi the State, lie was raised to the peerage as Viscount Craigavon in the New Year honours of 1927.