THE TREATY

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 138, 8 December 1921, Page 5

THE TREATY

TEXT OF PROVISIONS

(tIItUUU-Nir lIALAMB CAILI AIIOCIAtlOlf.) LONDON, 6th December.

The agreement entitled "A Treaty' between Great Britain and Ireland/ signed on 6th December,/states: — Article L—lreland snail have the same constitutional status in the comity of nations known as the British Empire as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with a Parliament having powers to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of Ireland, and-an Executive responsible to that Parliament, and- shall be styled the Irish Free State. . ■ Article ll.—Subject to the provisions hereinafter stated, the position of the Irish State in relation to the Imperial Parliament shall be that of Canada. Article til.—The representative of the Crown in Ireland shall be appointed in like manner to the Governor-General of Canada. ' Article IV. gives the oath of allegiance as follows:—I do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the Irish Free State as by law established, and that I will be faithful to George the Fifth, his heirs and successors, in virtue of the common citizenship of Ireland with Great Britain, and her adherence to the membership of the group of nations forming the British Commonwealth of Nations. Article V.—The Irish Free State shall, assume liability for the NPublic Debt to the United Kingdom to the present date, and the payment of war pensions in such proportion as may be fair and equitable, the amount being determined in default of agreement by arbitration by independent citizens of the Empire. Article Vl.—Until an arrangement has been made' between the British and Irish Governments whereby the Free State undertakes her own coastal defence, the sea defence of Britain and Ireland shall be undertaken by His Majesty's Imperial Forces. This shall not prevent Ireland maintaining vessels necessary for the protection of her revenue and fisheries. This article is to be reviewed five years hence, with a view to Ireland undertaking a share of her own coastal defence. ' , Article Vll.—Tho Irish Government shall afford His Majesty's Imperial Forces in time of peace harbour and other facilities, and in time of war or strained relation*) with a foreign Power such harbour and other facilities as Britain may reqairo for the purposes ( of defence. Article Vlll.—With a view to securing tho observance of the principle cSf international limitations of armaments, if the Irish Government establishes a ■military defence force, tho establishments thereof shall not exceed suck pro/proportion of the British establishments^, as triat which the population of Ireland bears to the population of Britain. Article IX.—The ports of Britain and of the Irish Free State shall be freely open, to< ships of the pther counlfy on payment of the customary port and ■■other dues. — Article X.—Tho Irish Government

agrees to pay fair compensation, not lees favourable than under the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, to judges, officials, police, and other public servants discharged or retiring in consequence of the change of Government. This agreement does not apply to members of the Auxiliary Police Force or persons recruited in Britain for the Irish Constabulary during the last two years. The British Government assumes responsibility for such compensation. Article Xl.—Until the expiration of a month from the passing of an Act of Parliament ratifying the Treaty, the powers of the Irish Free State shall not be exercieable in respect to Northern Ireland, and the provisions of the 1920 Act relating to Northern Ireland shall remain in full force. No election shall be held for the return of members to serve in the Parliament of the Free State for constituencies of Northern Ireland unless both Houses of Northern Ireland pass a resolution in favour of holding such elections before the end of the said month.

Article XII.—If before the expiration of the said month both Houses of the Northern Parliament present an address to His Majeisty, the powers of the Parliament and the Government of the Free State shall no longer extend to Northern Ireland, and the provisions of the Act of 19510, including those relating to the Council of Ireland, shall, so far as they relate to Northern Ireland, continue in full force ; provided that if such address is presented, a commission of three people, one appointed by the Free State, another by Northern Ireland, and a third, the chairman, appointed by the British Government, shall determine in accordance with the, wishes of the inhabitants, so far as they may be compatible with the economic and geographic conditions, the boundaries between Northern and the rest of Ireland. Such boundary applies for the purposes of the 1920 Act as well as of this instrument. Article XIII!.—For the purposes of the foregoing article, the powers of. £ the Parliament oi:' Southern Ireland under the Act of 19!2O to elect members of the Council of Ireland shall be exercised by the Parliament of the Free State. ' Article XIV.—-If 'no address is presented in a month the Parliament and Government of Northern Ireland shall continue to exercise the powers conferred by the 1920 Act, but the Parliajnent and Government of the Free State shall in Northern Ireland have in relation to matters yin respect whereof the Parliament of Northern Ireland has not power to make laws the same powers as in the rest of'lreland, including matters which, under the 1920 Act, are within the jurisdiction of the Council of Ireland. Article XV.—At any time hereafter the Government of Northern Ireland and the Provisional Government of Southern Ireland hereinafter constituted may meet for the purposes of discussing provisions, including • the following :—(a.) Safeguards regarding patronage in , Northern Ireland; (b) safeguards regarding, the revenue of Northern Ireland; (c) safeguards regarding the import and export duties' affecting the trade and industry of Northern Ireland; (d) safeguards for minorities in Northern Ireland; (c) the settlement of financial»relations between Northern Ireland and the Free State; (f) the establishment of the powers of the local militia of Northern Ireland and the relation of the defence forcei of th» Fre« State and Northern Ireland respectively. If at any such meeting provisions are agreed on, they shall have effect as if included, among the provisions set out in the fourteenth article.

Article XVl.—Neither the Parliament of the Free State nor of Northern Ireland shall make any law directly or indirectly endowing any religion or any prohibition restricting the free, exercise thereof, or give any preference or i impose any disability on account of religious belief or religious status or affect prejudicially -the right of any child to attend a school receding public money without attending religious instruction at school. The Parliaments shall not make any discrimination respecting State aid between schools under the. management of different religious denominations or divert from any, religious' denomination or educational institution any of its property, except for public utility purposes, and after payment ofcompensation.

Article XVII.—As a provisional arrangement for the administration of Southern Ireland during the interval between the present time and the constitution of the Parliament and Government of the Free State, steps shall be taken forthwith to summon a meeting of members of Parliament'elected for constituencies of Southern Ireland since the 1920 Act, and constituting the Provisional Government. The British Government shall take the steps necessary to transfer to such Provisional Government the powers and machinery requisite to the discharge of its duties, provided every member of the Provisional Government shall signify in writing his or her acceptance of this instrument This arrangement shall not continue in force longer than a year.

Article XVTfl.—This instrument shall be submitted forthwith for the approval of the British Parliament and by the Irish signatories to a meeting of members elected to sit in the House of Commons in Southern Ireland. If approved it shall be ratified by the necessary legislation.

The treafcv is sismed by Mr. Lloyd George, Lord Birkenhead, Mr. Churchill, Sir Worthington .Evans, Sir Hamar Greenwood. Sir Gordon Hewart, and Messrs. Griffith, Collins, Barton, and Duffy.