IN BRITAIN TODAY O’Neill Blames Students

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 24

IN BRITAIN TODAY O’Neill Blames Students

(N.Z. P.A.-Keuter— Copi/rlght. Cable News Digest i LONDON. Captain Terence O’Neill, the former Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, said this week that it was militant student movements in the province that had set the stage for his resignation. “Student marches created the atmosphere that brought my country to the brink of civil war," he said, adding that student members of the People’s Democracy at Queen’s University, Belfast, in particular, and the world student movement in general, were to blame “They fired the now historic battles between Northern Ireland’s 1,000,000 Protestants —who are sgljdly behind the Ulster Unionist Party—and its 500,000 Roman Catholics, who want a more equal vote, better housing and better jobs,” Captain O’Neill said. “I set out to break down ancient barriers of suspicion, but it’s like a football game—people back the side they feel the most identity with. “In Northern Ireland there have always been strong religious feelings and hatreds, and there’s a lot of dry tinder lying about “The extreme Roman Catholics and the extreme Protestants will continue squabbling with each other, but the only solution lies with the supreme Parliament in Westminster.”

£lO,OOO for an extensive overhaul.

Among firms with places in the nine-coach train for the tour are distillers of whisky and manufacturers of stockings and model trains. The General Post Office also has a : place—to publicise the sale of special commemorative stamps. The gauge of American tracks is .. suited to the Flying Scotsman, but two crews will have to be on the footplate, one British and one American, to meet United States union demands. Concorde Plan The British Overseas Airways Corporation will open negotiations with the Soviet Union later this year for rights to fly the supersonic Concorde airliner across Siberia to the Far East The thrice-weekly 8.0.A.C. polar service now reaches Tokoyo in 17j hours, with one stop for refuelling at Anchorage, Alaska, taking eight hours less than the usual route, by way of the Middle East and India. If the Concorde flies across Siberia, where there should be no sonic boom problem, the time for the journey between London and Tokyo would be cut to nine hours and 20 minutes. Wind Watched The Prime Minister (Mr Harold Wilson) has advised caution in pursuing Britain’s application to join the Common Market, but has promised Parliament that “if there was a fairer wind, Britain would take advantage of it.” Answering questions in the House of Commons, Mr Wilson said it would be wise to await developments after next month’s General Election in France. “We must take this matter fairly slowly, fairly coolly, until we see what the situation in France is,” Mr Wilson said, adding that there was no reason to suppose at this time that there was any withdrawal of the French veto on Britain’s membership, which had been so frustrating for so many people for so long. Earlier Mr Wilson had told questioners that nothing had happened in the last month which called for Britain to reverse her policy of seeking Common Market membership. Call For Unity .“The Times” suggests that the people of Western Europe should elect an international Parliament to overseee Common Market affairs, and has called on the Government to demonstrate its faith in European unity by acting on this proposal. In an editorial, “The Times” says that with General de Gaulle’s departure, Britain’s bid to join the market and other long-thwarted projects for European unity are being studied afresh; and it goes' on: “It would be appropriate this autumn for the Government to look beyond the problems of tinned kangaroo meat to the essence of the European ideal, which is political, not economic.” The newspaper suggests that the present Common Market parliament is illadapted to provide the close supervision needed of “the Common Market bureaucrats in Brussels.” The European parliament envisaged would not interfere with national defence policies, or foreign affairs, although it should be permitted to debate such matters, the editorial says. “Britain’s friends in the Common Market still sometimes express doubts about the United Kingdom’s willingness to accept fully the disciplines of the Community. ’’Were the Government to propose the direct election of such a parliament (which is mentioned as an aspiration in the Treaty of Rome) and a strengthening of its powers, it would show the real depth of its European faith,” the editorial suggests.