THE PRINCE IN ULSTER

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 47, 18 November 1932, Page 10

THE PRINCE IN ULSTER

The ceremonial visit of the Prince of Wales to Ulster to open the new Parliament House is an historic event. Under the Government of Ireland Act of 1920, by which Ulster retained its connection with the United Kingdom when the Irish Free State was constituted, the British Government undertook to provide suitable buildings for the housing of the new Parliament of Northern Ireland and for the Courts of Justice, and to hand them over to the Ulster Government. The completion of this undertaking comes as a reminder that Ulster seldom figures in the news of the day. One reason, no doubt, is the Free State’s habit of monopolising the spotlight. In the north the people seem to be content to plod along quietly, concentrating upon their economic problems. These appear to have been no more serious than those which have confronted other countries, but for a young self-governing community with a comparatively small population, the depression has been, and still is, a trying ordeal. On the whole, however, Ulster seems to have kept her head above water. Speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate last session, the Prime Minister, Viscount Craigavon, remarked that be thought Ulster could congratulate herself on having weathered the storm perhaps better than any other country. According to the Budget figures, the accounts for the financial year 1931-32. showed that expenditure had been kept within revenue, the income being £11,989,000, and the outgoings £11,577,000. On the present year’s estimates, the Government is again budgeting for a surplus, and this while making provision for meeting in full from revenue the cost of unemployment relief. At the same time the general situation in industry is rather gloomy. The farmers are having-a hard time, though at the moment they are gaining some advantage from the practical elimination of Free State competition in the British market. The staple industries, flax and shipbuilding, have suffered severely, the latter especially. During the nine months ended September 30 there had been only one small launching in the Belfast yards. In the same period two years ago there were 21 launchings. At present the stocks are empty. The recent riots, and a rising figure of unemployment, are indications of Ulster’s straitened condition. It is to be hoped that the Royal visit may mark the beginning of a general improvement in' the outlook for this industrious and loyal community.