UNITED IRELAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 78, 1 April 1922, Page 7

UNITED IRELAND.

THE NEW AGREEMENT. RESTORATION OF ORDER NORTH AND SOUTH GO-OPERATE V ANXIETY NOT YET ENDED. MR. CHURCHIXI/S, DOUBTS. (By Cable.—rress Association.—Copj-rißbt.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 31. Dunn*,' consideration of the House of amendments to the Irish Free Stute Bill, Mr. Churchill, referring to the Irish Conference, paid a tribute to the statesmanlike courage and earnest goodwill displayed at the most critical juncture of Ireland's fortunes by Sir James Craig and his colleagues. The value of the agreement could not be over-esti-mated. By taking all measures humanly possible to bring about the cessation of religious and partisan warfare, Ulster gave the treaty and the Provisional Government a far greater chance of success than ever otherwise would be possible. Thus hope of unity and co-operation was undoubtedly opened out to the Irish in all part's of Ireland, and prospects for the peaceful progress in future of their country. The two Governments in Ireland arriving at an agreement rendered a supreme service, not only to Ireland, but to the whole British Empire. In consequence of this action our | pledges and obligations to secure Ulster's ; right* under the treaty are redoubled.' Ulster's position will be strengthened | before the whole world by her earnest ; desire to create Deace and goodwill. The I Government could not consent to any alteration in the treaty, however small. Even if they felt the treaty in some respects defective, those defects were not comparable in importance with the dnnger of beginning to mar the symmetry of the position. Those who were fighting for the treaty were loth to encourage i optimism. There was a long, weary period of anxiety and uncertainty before < the country. He had complete confidence i and faith in the goodwill of the Irish J signatories, but less confidence in their powers to discharge fully what they undoubtedly desired. He wn s speaking! absolutely frankly, and felt that it was better to face the facts quite brutally i and to nourish no illusion*. The infant | Irish Free State, while still in its cradle. | wae exposed to deadly foes who would | not hesitate to use any means, however cruel, treacherous, and raad. to destroy at. He might have in the course of the next few weeks to use graver words nbont some asnTts of occurrences in

several parts of Trplnnd. Cnntain Craiff (Unionist inprnher for Smith Antrim) assumi the JTnnse, that Ulster would do all possible to carry out tlip apTPement. Mr- Joppph Devlin (Nationalist member for BeHnstl belipved that the new policy in Ireland would succeed. Lord Hugh Cecil was pessimistic, as the agreement had no driving force behind it, and was not likely to settle the Irish question. Colonel J. C. Wedgwood (Labour member for Newcastle-on-Tyne) voiced the Labour party's approval of the agreement. '' Col. John Ward (Stoke-on-Trent) said that the Government should make clear that it was not responsible for the delay in carrying out the treaty. The delay liad given Mr. de Valera a chance of influencing opinion against the document. Mr. Churchill replied, that the Provisional Government was'responsible for the delay. They knew their own business best, and it remained to be seen whether the course taken was not the right one. The House then considered the House of Lords' amendments to the Free State Bill seriatim. The Government amendment relating to Ulster's month for contracting out waa accepted, but the House disagreed with all the other, amendments. Sir Hamar Greenwood (Chief Secretary) announced that the disbandment of the R.I.C. in Southern Ireland would commence to-day, and that the Northern Ireland force would be disbanded as soon fes possible. Later it was officially announced that the Free State Bill had received the Royal assent. Mr. Arthur Griffith, in an interview, said: "If the document signed last nisht la carried out in the spirit of the signatories, it will give us later a unified Ireland which every honest and sensible Irishman, whatever his creed, desires." Dublin and Belfast newspapers joyfully hail the agreement. The "Irish Times" says that the terms represent a minded and courageous effort to remove causes of strife between North and South, and to lay the foundations of rational settlement. Good Irishmen will thank God for this agreement.. The "Northern Whig" snys that the Catholic minority is now able to show once for all that Catholicism and Sinn Foinism are not synonymous. It is obvious that Mr. Griffith and Mr. Collins signed the agreement in order to be in a better position to concentrate against Mr. de Valera. What is doubtful is not their good faith, but their power to control the I.R.A. mutineers.—(A. and N.Z.) RESTORATION OF PEACE. COMPLETE CO-OPERATION. /' POLICE IN MIXED DISTRICTS. BOTH FAITHS REPRESENTED. LONDON, March 31. In the House of Commons, Mr. Winston Churchill announced the terms of the iigreement for co-operation for the restoration of peace in Ireland. Clausq one states that: "Peace to-day is declared." The second clause states that from to-dajr the Governments of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland undertake to cooperate in every way with a view to the restoration of peace in the unsettled areas of Ireland. The third clause sets out that special police shall be appointed in mixed districts, composed half of Roman Catholics and half of Protestants, recruits to be chosen by a Special Advisory Committee. All police on duty, except those of the secret service, shall be in uniform and shall be officially numbered. Any search for arms shall be carried out by police composed half of Roman Catholics and half of Protestants, and the military ■hall render necessary assistance.

SPECIAL COURT SYSTEM. The fourth clause provides that a court shall be constituted for trials without jury of all persons charged with serious crimes. The Court shall consist of the Irish Chief Justice and one of the Lords of Appeal. The Government of Aorthern Ireland shall pass necessary legislation to effect this. The fifth clause provides for the setting up of a committee consisting of an equal number of Protestants and Roman Catholics to sit in Belfast to investigate complaints regarding intimidation and outrages. It adds that the local Press shall be approached to insert such reports on disturbances as are communicated by the committee. The sixth clause sta-tes that republican army activity shall cease in the six counties, and thereupon a special police force shall be organised for the six counties outside Belfast on similar lines to that to be provided for Belfast. The seventh clause states that immediately following the passage of a bill framing the constitution of the Fife State, and before an address in accordance with Article 12 ( of the Irish Treaty is presented to the Crown, there shall be a furthrr meeting of the signatories of the present agreement to ascertain whether means can be devised to secure the unity of Ireland, and failing this, whether an -agreement can be arrived at on the boundary question otherwise than by the boundary commission. The eighth clause stipulates that the return home of persons expelled shall be by the respective Governments, and thst the advice of the committee provided for in Article five shall be sought in cases of difficulty. A HAUr-MTIXION VOTE. The ninth clause states that in view of special conditions consequent on the political situation in Belfast and the neighbourhood, the British Government will submit to Parliament a vote not exceeding £T)00,000 for the Ministry of Labour of Northern Ireland. This money shall be expended exclusively on relief j work, one-third for the benefit of Roman . Catholics and two-thirds for the benefit iof Protestants. The Northern Irish Protestants agree to use every effort to secure the restoration of expelled workmen, but whenever impracticable owing to depression, the workmen will be afforded employment on relief work to such an extent as one-tHrd of the £500,000 fund will allow. Protestant exservicemen will be given first preference in respect to two-thirds of the fund. The tenth clause states that the Governments shall arrange to release political prisoners, but no offence after March 31 shall be open to consideration. The elevenths clause declares that the two Irish Governments are to unite in appealing to all concerned to refrain from inflammatory speeches and to exercise restraint, in the interests., of peace Mr. Austen Chamberlain announced in the House of Commons that consideration of the House of Lords' amendments to the Irish Free State Bill would be further postponed. He was not without hdpe that the Irish Conference would produce results mntprially conduccing to peace.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)