The Irish Bill.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 126, 12 May 1920, Page 5

The Irish Bill.

MR ASQUITH’S AMENDMENT LOST GOVERNMENT’S"AIM FOR UNITY. WAITING FORHUSHMEN TO AGREE. IBy Cable.—Pre** A»*ociation.—Copyright.) (Received 12, 12.10 p.m.) London, May 10. The House of Commons entered the committee stage on the Home Rule Bill. Before the discussion opened, the chairman ruled out a number of amendments embodying alternative schemes aa equivalent to negatives of the Bill, but permitted Mr. Asquith to move an amendment providing a single Irish Parliament with county option for Ulster for a limited period of six years on the lines of the 191-1 Act. Mr. Asquith maintained that the duplication of Parliaments, executives and judiciaries gave every opportunity for friction. The Government’s plan had not been countenanced by any section of Irish opinion. It would not be a stepping stone to Irish unity. Mr. Bonar Law emphatically asserted that Mr. Asquith did not realise all that had happened during the last six sears. While it was true Irish members had not voted on the Government Bill it was equally true that they would have opposed Mr. Asquith’s proposal. Ulster’s attitude was an immense advance on 1914, whereas Ulster then insisted on exclusion it now accepted local government. Mr. Bonar Law stressed the extent whereto the question suffered from uninformed foreign and dominion comment, which naked: “Why not let Ireland govern herself?’’ If the Government’s proposal was adopted we could say to Ireland and the world: "We have given you as generous a fbeasure of local government as we thipk possible on conditions which mean that the moment Irishmen can agree among themselves they can have it completely in one Parliament.” The Government’s object was to make unity easier. Sir Edward Carson regarded the six years proposal as retrograde and impracticable. Although he detested the idea of breaking up the Parliament of the United Kingdom he pledged himself, in the interests of an attempt at peace in Ulster, to do his best to work its Parliament if enacted.

Mr. Asquith’s amendment was defeated by 259 to 55.—(Imperial News Service.)