OUR IRISH LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume 304, Issue 304, 23 December 1926, Page 14

OUR IRISH LETTER.

THE COMING ELECTIONS. ! GOVERNMENT'S DIFFICULT TASK. REPUBLICAN FIREBRANDS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) DUBLIN, November 10. In the coming year the Southern Government will go to the country to give an account of its stewardship. That it will be fiercely opposed by every crank and "sorehead" throughout the country goes without saying. • President Cosgrave and his colleagues deserve the support of every honest man and woman who has any regard for the welfare, safety and progress of the country. They have had a very thankless task, and, taking all in, they have done well. They had many difficulties to contend with, including a bloody rebellion as soon as they had assumed responsible Government —a rebellion in which there was a greater sacrifice of life (a useless sacrifice, too) than in the war of 1920-21. Since then the Government has done its very best to help the people—the people not being always willing to be helped — and out of chaos it has created order, which is the first step towards progress. President Cosgrave and his colleagues deserve well of their country, and, although they made mistakes—just as Sir James Craig and his colleagues made mistakes in the North—they have proved that they are better fitted to rule and pull the country along than the firebrands, who would be an alternative Government if they could agree among themselves, but apparently that is what they never will do. Still on the Rampage. Miss Mary MacSwiney made a characteristic outburst when addressing a Republican meeting at Cashel County, Tipperary, on Sunday. She said there would be no peace in Ireland until the country was free. This freedom could be obtained constitutionally through the

ballot boxes at the next election if the people so willed, but if it did not come in that way, it would come later on through force of arms. Explaining why Sinn Fein could not accept Mr. De Valera's new policy, she said it was because Sinn Fein was pledged to give allegiance to one Parliament only, and not to help any foreign Parliament to| function in Ireland. By entering the Free State Parliament, even if the oath was removed, Mr. De Valera's party was helping to stabilise that usurping Parliament. It seems a pity that when Southern Ireland is inclined to settle down peaceably that such firebrands as the redoubtable Mary should be allowed to perambulate it, sowing seeds of unrest and worse. Certainly Cosgrave's Government is a long-sufl'ering one. Miss MacSwiney's sole claim to her pretentions is that her brother, who was Lord Mayor of Cork, died while on hunger strike. Belfast Shipbuilding. Nine vessels of approximately 92,000 tons have been launched from the.Belfast shipyards during the first ten months of the present year, and before December 31 at least one other vessel will leave the slipway. In 1925 the total output was 57,800 tons, but in 1923 and 1924 the six figure total was reached. Messrs. Workman, Clark and Company have decided to launch the Commonwealth and Dominion motor ship which they are building in the South Yard some time before Christmas, while unless there is further delay created by the coal strike conditions Messrs. Harland and Wolff will probably launch the White Star liner Laurentic from their East Yard. The Alcantara, the Apapa, and the Llandaff Castle are fitting out in the yards, but beyond this little work is being done. Messrs. Workman, Clark and Company are making some progress with the early stages of the fruit vessels and the Furness Withy boat they have on the stocks, but the slump was never so great as at present.