SIR JAMES CRAIG'S TEXT

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1922, Page 7

SIR JAMES CRAIG'S TEXT

PRINCIPLE LAID d6wN BY LLOYD

GEORGE

AN IRREVOCABLE STAND

(BSiTSB PR3ES -ASEOCIATiaN.—COI ZRIGtIT.) ] (AUSTRALIAN ■ MEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 6th February. Sir James Craig wrote to Mr. lioydGeorge to-night : "I have just held a meeting of those Ulstep members of Cabinet r.ow in London to consider the boundaries question-. Since the corraspondmce began on the subject;, of the Irish settlement we have relied od tils following sentence in your letter of 20th July to Mr. de Valera : 'The settlement must allow for the- fuil recognition of the existing powers and privileges of the Parliament and, Government of Northern Ireland, which cannot be abrogated except by their own consent." Although the necessity for giving a final decision on behalf of the Government of Northern Ireland does not arise until our Parliament votes itself out of the Free State, as a- result of our deliberations to-day I have to inform you that we adhere throughout to this principle, laid down by yourself, a.nd cannot consent to any .alterations in boundary except by mutual agreement, failing which in respect to any territory in dispute the boundary is to 3tand as defined by the Government of Ireland Act, 1920. I am sure you will agree with me on the importance of preventing any further misunderstanding ; accordingly I am sending a copy hereof to the press." Later, at Mr. Lloyd George's request, Sir James Craig saw the Prime Minister, confrrmecl the terms of the letter, and | declared that there could be no going back on them.