ULSTER AND HOME RULE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8883, 20 May 1892, Page 5

ULSTER AND HOME RULE.

The Press Association states that it has

been furnished with an authorised report of an important meeting of Ulster Unionist members of Parliament, which was held the other day at Uownshire House, Belgrave Square, to confer with a number of representative gentlemen from Ulster on the question of the duty of that province in view of the general election. Lord Arthur Hill (M.P.), presided, and amongst those present were Colonel Saunderson (M.P.), Mr. T. W. Russell (M.P.), Colonel Waring (M.P.), Mr. Thos. Lea (M.P.), the Hon. R. Torrens O'Neill (M.P.), Mr. W. E. Macartney (M.P.), Mr. Dunbar Barton(Q.C.,M.P.), Mr. Ron tool (M.P.), Mr. Mulholland (M.P.), Mr. Wolff (M.P ), Mr W. Johnston (M.P.), and Captain McCalmont (M P.). It was explained that Sir E. Harland (M.P.) was in Belfast; that Lord Ernest Hamilton (M.P.) was abroad; and that Sir Charles Lewis (M.l\), who did not intend to seek re-election, was suffering from illness. Mr. Sinclair (M.P.), who was formerly one of the representatives of the County of Antrim, and Mr. Penrose-Fitzgerald (M.P.) were present. Tlio meeting was (says the official report) convened in consequence of private conferences recently held in Belfast, at which it was strongly felt that representative, formal, and unequivocal expression should bo given before the general election to the determination of the Protestants of Ulster not to submit to the proposal to hand them over to an Irish Parliament, in which their property rights, and interests will be placed at the mercy of a Roman Catholic majority, whoso principles have been made clearly manifest einco 1N79. Two gentlemen from Ulster were heard, and they laid before tho meeting a proposal to hold a Convention composed of delegates from every parish or other district in Ulster, at Whitsuntide, to notify to tho British people : 1. Their unswerving loyalty to the Throne.

'2. Their protest against any measure that would either cut them off from or interfero with, their inheritance in the Imperial Legislature.

.'{. Their utter and unchangeable distrust of. and hostility to, an Irish legislative assembly, their determination to take no part in its organisation or proceedings, and passively to resist its laws and its taxation as having no binding force on them. 4. To appeal to tho Nationalist leaders to desist, from pressing a proposal which must inevitably produce disturbance and arrest the progress of tho country; and to the English and Scotch electorate, to pause before committing the two Irelands to a struggle certain to be disastrous to the best interests of both.

Colonel Waring, Colonel Saunderson, Messrs. Rentoul, Macartney, Dunbar Burton, T. W. Russell, Lea, and Johnston took part in the discission which ensued.

It was strongly felt and enforced by all the speakers that the proposals were of a most serious character, and that, they involved far-reaching consequences ; but. the circumstances were hold to justify the action proposed to be taken. In the end a resolution was unanimously passed approving the proposals laid before the mooting, promising the hearty support, of the Ulster Unionist members, and authorising and advising their Ulster friends to proceed with their labours in organising the Convention. Colonel Saunderson, Sir E. Harland, and Mr. T. \V. Russell were appointed a subcommittee of the Ulster members to cooperate with the committees to be formed in Ulster.

The proceedings were closed with a vote of thanks to Lord Arthur Hill for presiding, and for kindly giving the use of Downshire House for the meeting. It is understood that the proposed Convention will be held in Belfast.