Irish Boundary

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 202, 25 November 1925, Page 5

Irish Boundary

COMMISSION’S AWARD. LEGALITY NOT AFFECTED. BY McNEILL’S RESIGNATION. London, Nov. 23. Mr. Justice Feetham and Mr. Fisher, Ulster Boundary Commissioners.. issued an official statement, declaring :— __ “Our relations with Professor McNeill wore of the closest mutual confidence until November 20. when Professor McNeill, arriving from Dublin, announced his decision to resign. Until then Professor McNeill had made it perfectly clear that he intended joining us in signing the Commission’s award embodying the boundary line, the general features of which were approved and recorded in the minutes as early as October 17th. It was contemplated that a statement should accompany the report indicating that the Commissioners had agreed io sink individual differences for the purpose of arriving at a unanimous award, not specifying the points on which differences arose.”

The “Daily Express’ ” lobbyist states that the . Government's view is that the legality of the Irish Boundary Commission is not affected by Professor Me Neill’s resignation. The judicial committee 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 tne force of law. The Commission therefore need not be reconstructed. Sir James Craig, though still in Loudon, refuses to comment on the situation. The possibility of a Free State election is not being overlooked. The correspondent adds: “It is stated that Professor McNeill actually initialled the draft report. The Free State is diturbed by the proposals which called for his resignation.” A Dublin message states that a prolonged sitting of Cabinet gave rise to rumours of the resignation of Government Ministers. It broke up at 12.30 in the morning after a four hours’ sitting. It was decided not to reply to the statement of Air. Justice Feetham and Mr. Fisher.—(A. and N.Z.)