IRISH BOUNDARIES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 November 1925, Page 5

IRISH BOUNDARIES

MR McNEILL’S (RESIGNATION. INTERESTING STATEMENT. MADE BY COMMISSION. by cable-press association-copyright. LONDON, Nov. 23. The lobbyist of the Daily Express states that the Government’s view is that the legality of the Irish Boundary Commission is iiot affected by Mr .McNeil's resignation. The judicial comin it tee of the Privy Council, in August, 1924, decided that a majority of the commission would rule. The Government therefore thinks that 'if the two remaining commissioners are able to present an agreed report .it will have the force of law. The commission therefore need not be reconstructed.

Sir James Craig (Premier of Ulster), though still in London, refused to comment on the situation. The possibility of a Free State election is not being overlooked. The correspondent adds: “It is stated that Mr McNeil actually initialled the draft report, and the Free State, disturbed by the proposals, called for his resignation.” Mr Justice Feetham and Mr Fisher, th e Ulster boundary commissioners, issued an official statement, declaring: ‘‘Our relations with Mr McNeil were of the closest mutual confidence] until November 20. when Mr McNeil, on arrivLing from Dubffn, announced his decision to resign. Until then Air McNeil had made it perfectly clear that lie intended joining ns in signing the commission’s award embodying the boundary line, the general features of ivhich were approved and recorded fin the minutes as early as October 17. “It was contemplated that a statement should accompany the report indicating that the commissioners had agreed to sink individual differences for the purpose of arriving at a unanimous award, not specifying the points on which differences arose.” A Dublin message states that a prolonged sitting of Cabinet gave rise to rumour s of the resignation of the Government and Ministers. It broke up at 12.30 in the morning after four hours’ sitting. It was decided not to reply to the statement of Mr Justice Feethnm and Mr Fisher.