O’NEILL SUPPORTED 28-4 BY PARTY

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31862, 14 December 1968, Page 13

O’NEILL SUPPORTED 28-4 BY PARTY

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BELFAST (Northern Ireland), December 13. The Prime Minister (Captain Terence O’Neill) won an overwhelming vote of confidence last night after a political tussle that had threatened to unseat him and touch off more communal strife.

Members of the ruling Unionist Party in Parliament voted at a meeting, 28 to four, to keep him on as Prime Minister.

The result was a crushing blow for Captain O’Neill’s rival, Mr William Craig, a Protestant hard-liner who was sacked yesterday as Home Affairs Minister.

The quarrel had brought new tension to Northern Ireland’s deep-seated friction between minority Roman Catholics and ruling Protestants. Mr Craig had favoured tough measures on Roman Catholic civil rights demonstrators. Captain O’Neill favoured a moderate course. The Unionist Party meeting lasted five hours. Afterwards Captain O’Neill expressed hope it would be possible to “close the wound.” I

Mr Craig still has strong support among the Protestant voters, with complete backing from Protestant extremists like the fiery preacher, the Rev. lan Paisley. But in Parliament Captain O’Neill is secure. Mr Craig’s successor as Home Affairs Minister, Captain William Long, said after the meeting: “We should have a great deal of stability for a long time to come.” The charges raised the question, always controversial, of British interference in Northern Irish affairs. The British Prime Minister (Mr Harold Wilson), said last night that the British Parliament watched Northern Ireland’s political crisis with concern—and a readiness to take action. In a toughly-worded statement to the House of Com-

mons, he criticised religious bigotry in Northern Ireland and praised Captain O’Neill. Labour members cheered his warning that the Government was prepared to act if feuds between Protestant groups and Roman Catholic civil rights demonstrators exIploded into further violence.

Mr Wilson urged faster reforms to meet the demands of Northern Ireland Roman Catholics who claim they are treated as second-class citizens, given inferior jobs, housing and political status by tha Protestant majority. Mr Wilson did not spell out what measures the Government might take, but perhaps they would be under reserve powers in the event of extreme disorder in Northern Ireland. The territory—where British troops are based—relies on the Government for financial aid. The British Prime Minister said events in Northern Ireland—racked by two months of politico-religious clashes—were being watched with deep concern by the House of Commons “with, if necessary, a readiness to act.” Mr Wilson said Captain O’Neill should be encouraged to go further and faster with reform proposals designed to meet social grievances. To cheers from Government benches, he said: “If these are not sorted out, I do not think anyone here or in Northern Ireland will be in any doubt as to the consequences.” Mr Wilson said there was no justification for prolonged postponement of one-man, one-vote in Northern Ireland.