IRISH NEGOTIATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16268, 29 June 1916, Page 6

IRISH NEGOTIATIONS.

DIFFICULT SITUATION, > ' imM ANOTHER RESIGNATION - _____ -:M EARL QUEZON MAY FOLLOW/' _ ' Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. IN (Received June 28. 11.30 p. m .) LONDON. JUNE 27." The Irish situation continues difficult Tfc is understood that Mr. W. Long, PresidJ&fc! of the Local Government Board, has resigned, and that Earl Curzon, Lord Prfc-' Seal, may possibly resign. The meetiifrl of the Unionist Party has been Mr. Asquith and Mr. Lloyd George re!' ceived a Unionist deputation from the West and South of Ireland and the city of Dublin, representing 400,000 loyalist* to protest against the proposed settlement! The Times and Daily Mail demand at the Unionists should accept Mr. Llotdl George's settlement. LORD SELBORNE'S ATTITUDE. REASONS FOR RESIGNATION J A DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT. " LONDON. JUNE 27;. :-' Speaking in the House of Lords,"tit Earl of Selborne, who has resigned tha office of President of the Board of Agriculture, made a personal explanation of his " attitude on the Irish question. He said'-' that the original basis of ■ Mr. Lloyd George's inquiry was that Home . Rule • should not operate until the restoration of ; peace. He was not prepared to ad visa V His Majesty the King that Home Eule * could wisely or safely be brought in dor- ' ing the war. He learned during the '<■ Whitsuntide recess that the basis had ? been changed, and that it was contemplated that the. Bill should operate during the war. He immediately placed his re-€ , signation of his office in Mr. Asquith'a hands. Lord Selborne said he did' not f consider that the moment had yet arrived* to debate these great matters. It would I not be in the public inter® He said he ! would be content to review briefly, developments. When the war broke out the *: main principle for which Unionists had I contended for thirty years hid been de-\, cided against them, but the Ulster question was not decided. Thfe Unionists had agreed to accept the accomplished I fact, and would not attempt during fiieS war to revive the controversy. Mr. As* i quith returned from his visit to Ireland J impressed with the general desire foiyas settlement, and entrusted Mr. Lloyd - George to make inquiries • and gatheriUjSi best opinions and suggestion, and then report to Cabinet, which would derate! Lord Selborne said that although; he regarded the Home Rule policy as danger, I-" ous he thought the Home Rule Act;Vas/ workable. He had always laboured for Hi# | exclusion of Ulster, and considered -that,; the welfare of the United Kingdom: aji'4" the Empire demanded that Home Sola should be given a fair trial. He pared to agree to immediate arrangement*, for the exclusion of Ulster, provided that ■ neither the principal nor the ameuuiog Act should operate until the declarator of peace. Ireland was gravely disturbed,-bot a constitutional change of such niaguitada v iin war-time was more perilous titan any ■ other course. ', ' ' The Marquis of Crewe expressed the ie« gret of the Government at Lord Selboraei s"i resignation. He had filled his office withcredit and distinctions Lord Crewe agreed it was not the time to debate the Irish question. . .. ■ . The Marquis of Salisbury said there were many mysteries suiiounding th^qU(S» : i9 tion. He contended that a. debate was advisable at the earliest moment, aid appealed to the Marquis of Crewe tomato >•!! a statement to-morrow. ; ; - Lord Crewe said ho w-Ti'd not proinisa. ———— ■ ;}<Sti§S