HOME RULE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16550, 14 May 1914, Page 7

HOME RULE.

THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION.

SPEEDING-UP RESOLUTIONS

By Telegraph.—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, May 12.

Mr Asquith, in moving the resolutions to expedite business, said that it was futilo to spend time on suggestions at a stage when it was known the House of Lords was going to reject the Homo Rule Bill. The Government would introduce a. Bill amending the Home Rule Bill, and hoped it would he passed by agreement, so that both Bills would become law practically simultaneously, Mr W. G." C. Gladstone, M.P. for Kilmarnock, complained that the Government was pot carrying out the spirit and intention of the Parliament Act. (On May 8 the Government tabled resolutions abolishing the committee stages of the Homo Rule, Welsh Disestablishment, and Plural Voting Bills.) GUNS FOR ULSTER. LONDON, May 12. The Belfast "Echo" asserts that a steamer, evading the destroyers off North East Ulster, landed twenty machine guns. Volunteers conveyed them inland. THE AMENDING BILL. NATIONALISTS SURPRISED. LONDON, May 12. Mr Asquith's announcement that he would introduce an Amending Bill, even if the efforts at a peaceful solution failed, surprised the Nationalists. Mr Redmond declared that he could not approve of the Amending Bill, unless it were based upon a peaceful solution. He refused to commit the Nationalists. MR ASQUITH'S STATEMENT. CRITICISED ~Y OPPOSITION LEADERS. MR LLOYD GEORGE THE SUBJECT OF A SCENE. (Received. May 13, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 13. Mr Asquith said that the Opposition's attitude was one of unwavering hostility. If there was to be something in the nature of an agreed settlement it must be accomplished through an amending Bill. He asked for the third reading of the Home Rule Bill before Whitsuntide, after which the Government would introduce the amending Bill, either in the House of Lords or the House of Commons, it had not decided which. The announcement manifestly surprised Mr Redmond. Mr Asquith, proceeding, said that the suggestions put down for Welsh disestablishment would entirely reconstruct the Bill, and there was not one which the Government could accept, so why waste time in academic discussion. They could insert amendments. The Government would allow full discussion on the return of the Bill to the House of Commons.

Mr Bonar Law said that hefore passing the third reading of the Home Rule Bill the House should know the Government's amendments. The only hope of peace lay in the Government's influence with the Nationalists. The latter would be less willing to make concessions after the third reading. Mr Balfour said that if the Government was submitting an amending Bill it implied that the other Bill was defective.

Mr Lloyd George said that if every offer put forward by the Government was so treated that was the way to promote civil war. (Uproar for two minutes, and cries of "Shame!" and " You are a disgrace to the country.")

Mr Balfour said that the abandon* ment of the suggestion stage was a reversal of the policy Mr Asquith recommended when he introduced the Parliament Act. The. Government now admitted that after the Bill had run the gauntlet for three years it was unable to .place it on the Statute Book unamended, but no amendment which left in the Bill provision for a Dublin Executive could receive Opposition support. He begged the Government to defer the third reading until the House saw the terms of the amending Bill.

SCOPE OF THE AMENDING BILL.

SPEECH BY MR REDMOND

WILL NOT COMMIT HIS PARTY. Mr Lloyd George said that the Government did not admit that the Bill was defective. It suggested an amending Bill because it would go to tho utmost limit in the way of concession to avoid civil disturbance.

The Opposition heckled the Chancel

lor, who admitted that the proposals would be those which Mr Asquith already had made for settlement. Unless there was agreement the Bill would only deal with the exclusion of Ulster by poll, and would not deal with Customs. Mr Redmond said that the Govern-

ment had received another lesson of the inevitable effect of making advances to the Opposition. Every advance would lead to increased bitterness and. recriminations. It was the Opposition's duty to place on the Order Paper peace suggestions. He was glad that Mr Asquith would take the third reading before Whitsuntide. The Bill would become law, despite the Opposition, and' a few weeks would see the triumph of the Nationalist cause. If a peaceful solution failed, and an amending Bill were introduced, he held himself free to deal with it. The Nationalists, in the interests of peace, would run great political risks among their own people in agreeing to concessions, but he would not commit the partv to the amending Bill. MR ASQUITH'S MOTION CARRIED.

An amendment refusing to limit discussion on the remaining stages of the Homo Rule and Welsh Disestablishment Bills until the Government had given an opportunity of discussing suggestions was rejected by 293 to 217. Mr Asquith's motion was carried' by 276 to 194.

NEWSPAPER COMMENT. LONDON, May 13. The " Daily Chronicle" says that Mr

Asqnith's declaration has created perturbation among the Nationalists without propitiating the Opposition, and has imparted no inspiring effect among Government supporters. The declaration was a strategic mistake at the present stage.

The "Morning Post" says that many Unionists regard tho Government's now move as a device to gain time. They dd not believe that a settlement now is possible. l