The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1932. PRINCE AT BELFAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1932. PRINCE AT BELFAST.

The visit of the Prince of Vales to Ulster last week proved a very happy and successful one, and there could-bo no doubt of the warmth of the welcome extended. It is apparent thfit toe Ptuice l of Wales, wherever lie may go has the power to make himself at home, and Ins popularity grows greater as the years go by. On this special occasion, tine oeject of his journey to Ulster was to open the new Parliament Housei in Belfast. Under the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, by which Ulster retained 1 its connection with the United Kingdom when the Irish Free State was constituted, the British Government undertook to provide suitable buildings for the housing of the new Parliament of Northern Ireland and for the Court of Justice, and to hand them over to the Ulster Government. The completion of this undertaking was the cause of the present visit. It is pleasing to note that Ulster has been passing . through the present troublous times without a great deal of difficulty as compared with other places. Speaking in tliie. Address-in-Reply debate last session, the Prime Minister, Viscount Graigavon, remarked that he ,thought Ulster could congratulate her sell f on having weathered th'a storm perhaps better than any other country. According to the Budget figures, the accounts for the financial year 1931-32, showed that expenditure had been kept within revenue, the income being £11,989,000, and the outgoings £11,577,000'. On the present year’s estimates, the Government is again budgeting for a surplus, land this while' making provision for meeting in full from revenue the cost of unemployment relief. At the same time the general situation in industry is rather gloomy. The farmers are having a hard time, though at the moment they are ginning some advantage from the practical elimination of Free State competition in the British market. The staple industries, flax and shipbuilding, have suffered severely, the latter especially. During the nine months ended September 30 there bad been only one smell launching in the Belfast yards. In the same period two. years ago l there were 21 launchings.* At present the stocks are empty. The recent riots., and a rising figure of unemployment, are indications of Ulster’s straitened condition. It is to be hoped that the Royal visit may mark the beginning of a general improvement in the outlook of tins industrious and loyal community. /I / ,