CONDITIONS IN EIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 67, 21 March 1939, Page 6

CONDITIONS IN EIRE.

In reply to your correspondents F. Morrow "Ambush" and "Irish," permit me to say tint Mr. Morrow quotes me wrongly when he etatet that about two years ago I "stated tint Ulster contributed £27,000.000 annually to the British Exchequer." As far as I can reeoU lect, all that I did say was that Ulster, after balancing her own Budget, was able to eontribute a sum annually to Britain, which in the aggregate amounted to several million*. It,is absurd to say that Ulster could, or did, contribute such an amount as Mr. Morrow states. In answer to "Ambush." we' have, I believe, a goodly number of "Black ■ and Tans" in Xew Zealand, and I am certain they would not admit that thn I.R.A. men "struck terror" into the "Black and Tans." It was the other way abdut. "Irish" is far from being correct when he styles the Ulster Volunteers ae "Carson's Rebel Ulster Volunteers." Rebels they were not—aH of them were good, true and loyal subjects of King George V. This volunteer'force of 100,000 strong was called into being for the defence of their Ulster homes and loved ones, and their British citizenship. And when the Great War came in 1914, Britain found these Ulster men trained and armed for conflict, and the Ulster Volunteers proved their loyalty to King and Empire by volunteering for active service abroad, and some 80,000 of them voluntarily enlisted. And far from being classed at "rebels." His Majesty King George V.' said of : : ~. them that '"Ulstermen knew how to fight, wad how to die." Then; if there Tie such abtmiuoM of good things, and prosperity in Eire, m "Irish" states, why did a considerable section of the community leave it? Within the put - ten years nearly -80,000 people left the ¥nb State to seek a living in the United Kingdom Most of these immigrants were practkaQ} penniless, and many of them became a chargf on public funds. In the city of it was stated by a public official, that 75 per cent of the expenditure on public relief wa» in connection with persons who are either Irish or of Irish extraction; it is in this way Eire gets rid of the poor in the land! If -i be thiii violation of rights such as he s»j»," how comes it that the Roman Catholic population is increasing and that not one single Nationalist in the Xorth has applied for transfer to the South? The only answer fc that the Nationalists know when and where they are 'well off—they are much more prosperous in the Xorth than they would be in the South. Many Southerners have gone .to the Xorth, but none of the Northerners goei to the South. It is only natural for Mr. de Valera to lumper after the possession of the prosperous Xorth. with its huge industries and it* public lands; but Ulster will never agree to sell her birthright for a mess of pottage. G. W. BLAIB. .