IRELAND'S TRIUMPH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 22, 25 January 1913, Page 8

IRELAND'S TRIUMPH.

KEJOXCino nf attckiajtd. WHAT HOME RUI.E MEANS. The wave of exultation which has swept the world Wherever Irishmen are since receipt of the news that the Home Rule Bill had passed its third reading in the ffouse of Commons, manifested itself in Auckland hist night in a. crowded in the Town 'Hall, held to locally celebrate the circumstance and occasion. Mr. Hall Skerton. president of the Celtic Society, was chainiuvn at a meeting which comprised all nationalities of the Empire, and which was notably enthusiastic, and responsive to the sentiments expressed by the speakers as they touched on various pha»es of the question. A MOMENTOUS OCCASION.

In his introductory remarks the chairman stated that in the passing of •the Home Rule Bill through the House of Commons a momentous occasion had been reached. On one other occasion such a Ml! had been passed the Commons and failed in the Lords. But the mechanism of the House of Lords would now prerer.t a repetition of that experience. Within two Tears the bill must go through the Lords, and on receiving thr King's assent, Ireland would be a nation oni-e again. Of late years li-terary men had sprung up to educate the people on the question of Home Rule. with the present result. The chairman dM.lt with the hi.-tory of the union of the English and Iri--h Parliaments, which resulted in the rise of the Irish national debt. The speaker commented on the finding of the recent Commission that Ireland had paid £3.000.000 a year more than her share of taxation. More than that, trade restrictions drove .the people on to the land, held by English landlords, and. finding themselves at the mercy of the landlords, the people looked to emigration for escape. Mr. Hall Skeft-on I dealt with evil conditions that prevailed in Ireland for many years. As a reply to the cry that the Irish were disloyal, he pointed to the hisitory of Irish soldiers on the field fighting for Engiand and the Empire. Incidentally the speaker referred to the religious controversy in Ireland, and deprecated the spirit of discord springing from the incursion of Orangemen into party politics, and trusted that in the futnre religious differences would be sunk. In conclusion, the speaker made references iita,t elicited applause to the work of Charles Stewart Parnell. Dan O'Connor, Michael Davitt, and Ptobert Emmett. EXPRESSION" OF GRATITUDE.

Mr. M. J, Sheahan moved the followin? resolution, which it -was intended, if carried, to send to the British Prime Minister: —"This meeting of Auckland citizens, representing every religious and political section of the community, expresses, with the deepest feelings of enthusiasm, its unbounded gratitude to and appreciation of the statesmanlike conduct of the Home Rule Bill through the House of Commons by Mr. Asquith. The co-operation of the Liberal and Labour parties with the Nationalists in upholding the principle of aelf-«rovernment for Ireland is the harbinger of other achievements by united effort for the welfare of the democracy. Experience at the Bentimen-ts which animate the inhabitants of thi? far-off outpost of the British Empire assures us that the removal of chronre discontent wfll result in an intenser loyalty to the Throne, a broader sympathy and loftier patriotism, and a more strenuous striving for the advancement of the national glory." " BLESSED OBLIYTOX OF THE PAST."

In supporting the motion, Mr. Sheahan briefly touched on the evils to Ireland of the Parliamentary union, which had forced the poorer country to keep pace with its richer yoke-fellow, with the result .that the population of Ireland had more than 'haJved. while its taxation was douWed. Financial experts started that the over-taxaicion during the century had been £320,000.000.' Was it any wonder that Ireland had continually protested against the union? Since 1886, three-fourths of the iTish people, through their representation's m the Imperil! Parliament, hid demanded self-government. The speaker quoted the experiences of Canada, and South Africa to illustrate the good results following on self-government, and recalled the famous dictum of the laic Sir Henry Oampboli Bannerman, that good government was no substitute for self-government. Touching on the bill, the speaker said that it had its shortcominjrs, one of which was in respect to the customs clause, which gave the Irish executive power to radse the customs duties, bu-t not to reduce them. Though the revenue of Ireland wsts going up, and the peasant proprietary of Ireland was naming the signal snceesß now that had been marked in France by the peasant I proprietary, Ireland was an expensive country to run, and one of the reasons of the present popularity of the bill in England was that they "fonnd that Ireland was being- run at a loss. After reference to Mr. Bonar Law's antagonism, the speaker closed by quoting one of Gladstone's prophecies for what Home Rule would do for Ireland: "Ireland stands at your bar expectant, hopeftil, almost suppliant. Her words are the words of truth and soberness. She asks a blessed oblivion of the past, and in that oblivion oar interest is deeper than hers. She asks also a boon for the future, and that boon for the future will be a boon to ns in respect of honour, no less than a boon to her in respect of her na-ppiness. prosperity and peace." Mr. Fred Moore seconded the resolution in a characteristic jrenial speech, concradrnp with a call for cheers for Parnell, Gladstone, Asquith, and the great men who had made the occasion for the meeting of the evening. His speech evoked great enthusiasm, and he received an oration at its conclusion.

"THE OX© HOUSE OK COLLEGE GEEEN." Bishop Cleary, in supporting the resolution, said that the unsettled question of Home Rule had had no pity for the peace at England, had placed the body of Ireland on the rack, but it had not breken tie spirit of nationality. But it was bound to come, because behind it were forces greater than the British House of Commons asd House of Lords. In our own time we had seen the end of the policy of treating Ireland alternately to coercion and paltry sope. Those days were pet, : and Irishmen were looking more lovingly than ever to that "oW house on College Green," the temple of Ireland, •which 'had teen green, so to speak, into the hands of the moneychangers. They •w-ere that evening celebrating, a little in advance, the dawning d the day ■when the money-ehacgeia would 'be driven out <jt the temple; of the time when two great peoples, too long estranged, wonld have their quarrels settled, and could stand side by side for the good of the great Empire to; -wtoa tbgjr All ieiongejd. As.thej wcrald.

h»« gathered from the remeifcs of the preceding speakers, the Irish Parliament couid not make * worse mese of governkig IreJend than the British Parliament had done of it.

GREAT DAY FOR IRELAND. The Hon. J. Tole, K.C., recalled the memorable visits of John Redmond andj "Honest" John Dillon. They were theTe, to rejoice in the consummation of the , aspirations of thos« men, and <ri Irish- ! men all over the world. It was not , only a great day for Ireland, but also a great day for* England, whose peace ' had long been disrurbed by the Irish • question , ; a great day also for the peace 11 and strength and consolidation of aj great Empire under one flag. Mr. Tole spoke of the long opposition to Home Rule as being t*e result of a deadly, detestable rancour, which he believed ■VFOiild be found to be based on a misconception, and which would be swept away j with the passing of the bill. The vie-) tory was not yet complete, but they j hoped to receive the spirit of liberty in two OT three years, when Home Rule was complete. NOTE OF WARNING. The Rev. R. Hall came with a word of j warning. Two years had yet to pass,! supposing the House of Lords threw i the bill out. before, in the ordinary, course of affairs, the bill could become | latr. and much could happen in two; years. He made an eloquent appeal to , Irishmen to know themselves and watch j their ways, and incidentally paid a tn- i bute to Jopv Biggar as the founder of | the policy of obstruction in the House , of Commons that made the Irish party the power it was to-day in British politic?. THE IMPERIAL NOTE. Mr A. M. Myers. M*P.. an Imperialist who believed that the whole-hearted efforts of statesmen should be in the direction of bringing together the various parts of the Empire, stated his pride to be there to celebrate the passing of the Home Rule Bill to Uβ present etage. Hi? believed it was in the interests of Ireland, England, and the whole Empire that Ireland should hive eeif-govern-mewt, and that there would be no union of the Anglo-Saxon race, so much to be deeired, until the Irish question was eettled, for there were hundreds of thousands of Irishmen in the Vnited States who would prevent it till Ireland had 6elf-rule. HOME RULE INEVITABLE,

Mr. T. W. Leys, speaking as one who was not an Irishman, said that it appeared to him a preposterous thimr. if representative institutions had any at all. that the desire of tlie Irish people, repeated year after year, persistently, consistently. and reasonably by pr racticall - v four-fifths of the pe"aple "should be refused. If it were an unreasonable demand, against the constitution on which the British nation and Empire rested, the case might be different. But who could say that in granting this measure of self-govern-ment the peace, prosperity, and progress of a country that was grossly and notorioosry mie-governed and misunderstood worfd -be adversely affected, or that the Empire would do other than gain in strength, unity, and loyalty. He supported the resolution as a liberal, for since the acceptance of Home Rule by Gladstone in 1885, Home Rule for Ireland had been one of the foundation principles of the liberals in the T-nited Kingdom. , Mr W. J. Napier paid a tribute to the Parliamentarian leadership of the Hod Mr Aequith, which had won the Home Rule Bill through to its present place. There was every prospect that in M*rch, 1915, the Act of Home Rule would be signed by the King. The epeaker etated that he wae an ardent upholder of Home ißule ac the first etep towards the unity of Empire. Troublous thnee were approaching, an-d the greater was the necessity for one whole, indivisible and united Empire. Mr Na-pier closed h» remarks with the final woxde of Gladstone, delivered in Liverpool, on Home Rule for Ireland. Col. Alan Bell, in hie contribution to the celebration, prophesied that it would not be long before they would meet again to eetebrste the artual full victory. He particularly emphasieed the Imperialiiitic argument of Home Rule, which he stated was probably his chief reason foT being a strong supporter of Home Rule, He looked forward to tie unification of the race, which he considered not so far away as many ■to-da.j believed.

THE FRUJE OF RACE. Mr Gerald Peacocke stated that he rejoiced in the success of the Home Rule Bill ac an Irishman, a Liberal, and a British etrbject. He looked on it ac a triumph, no* only of Irish nationality, but also ac a triumph of the cauee of justice and firm friendship and good feeling bet-ween two great peoples. It ■wouJd. he beHeved, do a great deal for the strength and gkrry of the British Empire. The speaker dwelt oa the pride of race, of nationality, that was characteristic of the Irieh race, ac being a ch*r*eterJEtic ttect was great and worthy of canserrafcicm, and it would be greatly aeeisted by the euccese of the Home Rale Bill. It had been called the abolition of the union, but in his inmost heart ihe believed that the real union between Engfend and Ireland had only just begun. The only union that would hare any value ami permanence would be begun on the day when this great measure of justice and freedom to a sister nation was consummated by the royal assent.

Mr P. J. Nerheny, in a characteristic epeccli, set forth some of hie early experiences of landlordiem, and Tecalled the words of *>** faiher, when Gla-detone'e BSI -wae kaied, thai the speaker would jrt live to see Home Rule in Ireland. Ax the came time, he agreed with other epofcere, that the word of caution from Mr Hail "was not one to be negrlected.

The motion, when put by the chairman, was carried with one unanimous voice by tfee meeting.