OPPORTUNE MOMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 293, 8 December 1920, Page 5

OPPORTUNE MOMENT

FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. MR. HENDERSONS HOPES. IRELAND TIRED OF STRIFE. (By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright.) LOXDOX, December 7. Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., has returned unexpectedly to London, leaving the remainder of the Labour party's delegation in Ireland. In an interview, Mr. Henderson said: "1 have come into contact with every school of thought in Ireland, political, religious, and economic. All are tired of strife _.nd wantpeace. My firm conviction is that the present moment offers an excellent opportunity for a settlement. It has been frequently urged that the existing reign of terror must cease before negotiations begin, but to permit the almost universal yearning for peace to evaporate because of too much concentration on the hideous deeds of the past two years, which thoughtful people of all shades of opinion deplore and condemn, may plunge the two nations into a bitter struggle such as has never been encountered before.

"Everything should be done to secure a period of comparative quietude, in which all acts of violence, official and unofficial, shall cease.'' continued Mr. Henderson. "A definite effort should be made officially to arrange the terms of an armistice during which a conference between representatives of the British Government and the Irish people should be held. I have reason to know that if these suggestions are acted upon the full weight of the heads of the Roman Catholic Church and organised Labour in Ireland will be used to secure the cessation of lawlessness." Mr. Henderson added that he hopes to lay proposals before Mr. Lloyd George.

Newspapers variously describe the amount of real progress made towards Irish peace negotiations. The "Daily News" is the most hopeful. It says that the Prime .Minister and other Ministers have been strongly discussing the subject with more or less representative Irishmen, who are not deeply implicated in party polities. The "Daily News" believes that much has been happening behind the scenes, and it attaches importance to the Prime Minister breakfasting with Mr. G. W. Russell, but the

"Daily Chronicle" says that Mr. Russell as a representative Irishman does not count. Another Irishman who has been active lately in exploring the situation is Sir Horace Plunkott.

The "Daily News" says that the Parliamentary atmosphere, apart from the lister Unionists, is most sympathetic. Even Conservatives arc pleased with the Prime Minister's leanings towards peace. The "Daily News," which has been from the earliest the strongest advocate of Christmas peace efforts, believes that progress has been made, but points out that a truce must firßt be arranged, involving a settlement of the important subjects, such as the murder campaign, the withdrawal of the military, and the release of many Sinn Feiners. Only then could negotiations for a settlement begin. Any discussion of a settlement could not include the idea of an Irish Republic. That subject is barred. The most hopeful lines of procedure would be the exclusion of Ulster and the grant of fiscal autonomy to the Dublin Parliament.

The "Morning Post" refers to the subject as the Prime Minister's parley with the organisers of murder. It says that fiscal autonomy means , independence. Any serious proposal in that direction would wreck the Coalition. The rank and file of the Unionists have stood a good deal, but they_will not stand surrender.

Ten police in a motor lorry were attacked from ambush at Clonakilty, County Cork. A brisk fight ensued, and one constable was wounded. Two others summoned reinforcements, which arrived to find the attackers gone. A court-martial found the managers of "FreemAn's Journal" guilty of spreading a false report intended to cause disaffection. They were taken to Mountjoy prison .ending promulgation of sentence. (A. and N.Z. Cable.) MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S WISH. NOT ALLOWED TO BE FAIR. (Received 0.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. Archbi_hop Kelly has returned from a visit to Rome and England. He said that Mr. Lloyd George wished to be fair to Ireland, but -was not allowed to be. He added that there was a great deal of unrest in. England.— (A. and N.Z.)