HOME RULE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XL, Issue 5778, 6 March 1912, Page 6

HOME RULE.

VIEWS OF LEA lAIN CI PKOPLE

LONDON*. Feb. .16. Trre case for ami ayainst. Home Rule is being strenuously argued now both in the press and on the pu-blic platform, from a multitudinous variety of opinions on; tlie -question, the following are tal.en from among those expressed by some of the more important political leaders : — Mr Asquilh :in Ireland as else- ! where it is in the union of Imperial supr-inacy n-ith autonomy that tlio secret of" the safeguard of government is lo be found. Mr Lloyd Ceorge : Home Rule is absolutely essential for lite efflciency of the Imperial Parliament. Wc are now trending on each other's toes, and are not doing' any work, because rnrliiuiiciu i_s at tend ing to trivial matters that are rea I*l vj ' beneath the attention! of a county council.

Mr Churchill : In order to keep pace with the world it is necessary ttiat r.ngiund should leant how to combine the fullest expression of national and looal aspirations with the .strongest framework of Imperial unity. Sir Edward Orey : Ireland will never <bo reall.v reconciled without Home liule. \N hat the Irish contend for and what we, too, contend for, is that Irish laws shall be made by the Irish people. Home Rule will not interfere with the integrity oi the Empire. Mr •). Kedmon-d : Home Hule will convert many an enemy -of Rritain into a friend, it will gratify the national j.ride oi* Ireland, ati-d will i e.x'-l the Irish question. | Among the opponents of Home | Rule, t-he following' have expressed their view:, :— Anglican Primate of Ireland: There is no ent'husiasiii in Ireland in favor of Home Rule. The farmers who have purchased holdings fear the prospects of discord and strife, and 1 myself bitterly deplore an Actthat would be the harbinger, of ruin. morally, politically, and religiously.

Air A. Bouar Law : The Government linds it dillicult, and Will pOSsibly liii'd it impossible, to frame a. Bill that will 'be acceptable to both Ireland and EngTand. it it sets up a Parliament in Ireland it will merely l_<e providing a lever for more agitation. The British people should continue to be the arbiters between both sections in Ireland, and both should remain- under the protection of the British Parliament.

Sir -_.d-.vand Carson :We cannot break up. our intertwined relations without imperilling the commercial, financial, and political positions ot both. Lister asks that it should remain part of the United Kingdom. It wants nothing more, and (will accept 'nothing less.

Mr Austen Chamberlain : 1 do not believe there is a single argument used by Mr Gladstone when he became a. convert to Home Hule 'that holds good to-day. Home Rule never became an article of the Liberal creed until the Liberal party was dependent upon the Nationalist vote.