FREE STATE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18548, 25 November 1925, Page 9

FREE STATE.

IRISH BOUNDARY QUESTION. RESIGNATION FROM COMMISSION. PRESIDENT COSGRAVE'S CHARGES. (bt cki^.— press association—rorraiGmT.) (.Sidney "ius" Service.) LONDON, November 23.

Mr W. T. Cosgrave (President of tho Executive Committee of the Irish Free State) in a speech declared: ' 'Mr McNeill toid Cabinet that he realised during recent meetings that the Boundary Commission would not produce a report based on the terms of reference. I emphasised on November 19th that Cabinet had always contended that the Commission had no right to deprive the Freo State of territory. I now say that if the Treaty were properly interpreted tho Free State would not be iu danger of losing territory.

"The Commission's lamentable decisions are due to political pressure by British newspapers and also threats of violence. British politicians have associated themselves with this movement by tho misrepresentation, of the Free State's Treaty rights.

''Mr McNeill resigned because he had lost faith in h's fellow Commissioners and I have also lost faith in the Commission."

Mr Cbsgrave specified an allegedly , accurate forecast of tho Commission's report published in the "Morning Post" of November 7th, which, though insufficiently detailed, was sufficiently unyist to occasion a feeling of disquiet. He contended that Mr Mc'Neill's conclusion could only be explained by the persistent and unscrupulous use of threats of violence and political pressure. Prejudicing the Commission. Mr Cosgravc said that from the moment the Boundary Commission was in course of formation threats had been circulated, emphasised, and encouraged by an influential section of the British Press, which, while ventilating tho unconstitutional threats of tho North, practically closed its columns to any reasoned arguments for carrying out an international engagement. Public men in tho highest positions in Great Britain'lent themselves to the campaign, whittling away by misrepresentation the treaty rights of a large number of Irishmen for the express purpose of prejudicing the Commission in the interpretation of the terms. Plea for Restraint.

"A gravo situation has arisen necessitating steps to prevent the infliction of injustice on Free Staters," continued Mr Cosgrave, "It also demands the serious consideration of the British Government, which appointed Mr Justice Feathain (chairman) and Mr J. R. Fisher to represent Northern Ireland. The British Government cannot escape moral responsibility for tho injustice inflicted through its nominees, but heated words and foolish acts must not s? permitted to render the Free State's task more difficult." ,

| MR M'NEILL'S DECISION. OTHER COMMISSIONERS' STATEMENT. (Received November 2ith, 7.30 p.m.) - LONDON, November 23. Mr Justice Feathani and Mr Fisher, Lister Boundary Commissioners, have issued an official statement, declaring: "Our relations with. Mr McNeill were of tho closest mutual confidence until November 20th, when Mr McNeill, arriving from Dublin, announced his decision to resign. Until then Mr McNeill had mado it perfectly clear that he intended joining us in signing the Commission's award, embodying tho boundary line, tho general features of which were approved and recorded in the minutes as early as October 17th. Ifc was contemplated that a statement should accompany the report, indicating that the Commissioners had agreed to sink individual differences for the purpose of arriving at a unanimous award, not specifying the points on which differences arose."

COMMISSION'S FINDING

LEGALITY NOT AFFECTED. ■(Received November 24th, 7.35 p.m.) LONDON. November 23. Tho lobbyist of tbe "Daily Express" states that tho Government's view is that tbe legality of the Boundary Commission is not affected by Mr McNeill's resignation. Tho Judicial Committee of the Privy Council., in August, 1924, decided that a majority of tbe Commission would rule, and the Government therefore thinks that if tbs two remaining Commissioners are able to present an agreed report it will have the force of the law. Tho Commission, therefore, need not be reconstructed. Sir James Craig, though still in London, refused to comment on the situation. The possibility of a. Free State election is not being overlooked. The correspondent adds: "It is stated that Mr McNeill actually initialled the draft report. The Free State was disturbed by the proposals and called for his resignation.'' A Dublin message states that a prolonged sitting of the Cabinet gave rise to rumours of the resignation of the Government Ministers. It broke up at 12.30 a.m., after four hours' sitting. It decided not to reply to the statement of Mr Justice Featham and Mr Fisher.