HOME RULE BILL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1695, 25 November 1920, Page 5

HOME RULE BILL.

KEEN DEBATE IN LORDS. [By Electric Cable —Copyright.] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Wednesday, 8.55 a.m.) LONDON', November 24. At the Homo Rule debate in the House of Lords there Avas a distinguished gathering of peers, and many cross currents of opinion were expressed, both Unionist and Liberals. Lord Birkenhead read a letter from Sir Edward Carson slating thai Ulster had fully accepted Lhe Bill us the best, and only solution of Ireland's difficulties. Lister preferred a union, but wanted peace and freedom from party politics, and the supersession of the 19 14 Act. Lord Birkenhead admitted that the South might refuse to operate the Bill, in which case the Bill provided for a Crown colony. Government newspapers point out that the' Chancellor did not shirk the phrase as the ministers had avoided it in the House of Commons. He added that the South might establish a Parliament under the Bill, and then proclaim a. Republic. Lord Birkenhead said he did not believe that Sinn Fein would. adopt such a course, but if they did, the Southern Parliament would be dissolved, involving the possibility of reconquest. Penconally he remained a Unionist, and the Unionists could be shire ,of twenty years of unbroken power, he would continue to advocate the present form of Government. Nobodv could be sure of this. The Chancellor alluded to the recent events in Ireland, and in an eloquent peroration said that he did not profess to flippantly predict the future but he hoped that the Government would yet succeed where O'Connell, Gladstone and Parnell had failed, and it would be an immense contribution to the stability of the Empire. Lord Birkenhead said that it would be tragic it after conquering a powerful enemy abroad, we remained enfeebled at the heart of the Empire by a plague spot of sedition. Lord Dunraven moved the rejection of the Bill, which he said did not go far enough. The Irish solution depended upon the support of moderate opinion, which would not be secured while Ireland was not given tree fiscal and financial control. Lord Willoughbv do Brooke favoured the reject * i of the Bill. Any measure of Home Rule would be wrong, snd would play into the hands of the gang of ruffians. Lord Abercorn supported the But, and hoped that the time would come when Ulster's example would pave the way to a united Parliament. Lord Haldane said the Bill was a step in the right direction. Nobody should interfere with the Government's efforts to affect a settlement Lord Clanwillan said that the Irish were one of the people who were unable to govern themselves. There was a foreign conspiracy to destroy the British Empire, using Ireland as a jumping-off ground. The debate was adjourned.