IRISH AFFAIRS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18353, 10 March 1920, Page 7

IRISH AFFAIRS.

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, March 7. In the House of Commons, on the War Emergency Laws Continuance Bill, Mr Wedgwood Bcnn, in moving its rejection, said that men had been imprisoned without trial and. contrary to Magna Charta. These were frequent aids in welding all classes of. Irish opinion against tho present administration and British rule.

Mr J. I. Macphe.rson, Chief Secretary for Ireland, said ho regretted the speech, which was calculated to mako administration more difficult and endanger the lives of officials. No lawabiding citizen in Ireland need fear a continuance of tho regulations. They must remembet* that Sinn Feiners endeavoured to stab tho in the back in tho darkest hour- Tho Sinn Feiners were now endeavouring to collect arms, and their conspiracy of murder must ho broken. Over 200,000-ad-herents of tho Sinn Fein in Ireland wore all ready to murder loyal subjects Mr H. Thomas said that despite coercion tho state qf Ireland to-day was worse that; ever, proving the failure of the present rule. Mr Redmond said, “If it was not tragic it would bo humorous to see members quarrelling over the corpse of Ireland on tho House of Commons dissecting table. Ireland once again is the shuttlecock of British party politics, and the Irish people are driven to desperation.” The motion for rejection was defeated by 291 to 52.