PUBLIC CRITICISM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1910, Page 5

PUBLIC CRITICISM.

LORD DUDLEY AND HOME RULE. HEAD OF ORANGE ORDER TAKES HIM TO TASK. THE CORRESPONDENCE. Br Teleerapb.— Presg Association.— Copyrlenfc (Received March 19, 10.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. The correspondence arising out of a public criticism by Mr. Snowball, head of the Orange- Order, of a speech delivered by Lord Dudley, GovernorGeneral, afc :the opening of the Catholio College, has been published. Mr. Snowball, in the course of his remarks, said : "Lord Dudley n^jght hava seen fit to say that he neveV would countenance anybody who was ,o>t iv favour of giving Irish separate rule,"adding "Lord Dudley might have thought his position as Governor-Gen-eral justified him in saying such things.'? Lord Dudley's private secretary wrote, pointing out the difference between Lord Dudley's actual remarks — which were that he would take no part with anj organisation or body which had not forj its purpose the advancement, progress, and prosperity of Ireland — and those attributed to him. Mr. Snowball, in justifying his criticisms, added : "It is distinctly offensive. 4o a large section of the people for theirs Governor-General to publicly throw his necessarily weighty official influence into the advocacy and encouragement of aa agitation for Home Rule for Ireland." The private secretary's response to this was that Lord Dudley did nob propose to discuss the desirability of eitherHome Rule or the government of Ireland. He had expressed no opinion regarding the former; the latter ho had advocated when he was in a position to take part* in political controversy, but never, then or now, had he any sympathy with any change of government for Ireland which would involve, or in, the slightest way lead to, separation from the Empire. The correspondence closes with a letter from Mr. Snowball, expressing his pleasure at perceiving that Lord Dudley had no seal sympathy with thos* ivho advocated Ireland's separation front Britain.