IRISH NEUTRALITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 9 June 1945, Page 3

IRISH NEUTRALITY

[To the Editor] Sir, —In reply to “Englishman,,” and this i$ my last word on the subject, while I have many good friends who are English, I am not an Englishman. He quite overlooks the fact that it is possible as it was in my case to have one’s home in Ireland and be brought up there as I was and my father and his predecessors also, my mother’s people being Irish also, then after thirty years to leave Ireland and journey to other countries as hundreds of Irishmen have done. America, Canada, Australia, England and Scotland are full of Irish emigrants -and may be a few have come to. New Zealand. Englishman seems quite unaware of these facts. He says he spent some holidays in Ireland but on his own showing he was but a foreigner: also his knowledge of Irish affairs will be but superficial, whereas it was my home, aWd my people’s before me. As he has written his letter on the supposition that I am an Englishman, his statements are all wide of tbe. mark as far as I am concerned. In regard to England standing alone, she did not; -the Scotch, WeUh and Irish stood with her. The correspondent’s allusions to the coloured races and their help is not very diplomatic as they are very sensitive about such maters and he. is looking for trouble. —I am, etc., CELTIC. Upper Moutere, 6th June.