THE IRISH QUESTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17335, 5 December 1919, Page 9

THE IRISH QUESTION

Sir, —" Justitia" seems perturbed to think that it is possible for Ireland to be prosperous under its present conditions. 1 suppose to suggest such a thing is another injustice to poor ould Ireland. Even if £900. per month is being spent bv the British Government to keep troops in Ireland in disaffected areas, surely the effect of the spending of largo sums every month bythe troops must add to the prosperity o f . that part of Ireland. At any rate, even *' Justitia " will not suggest that a loyal citizen need fear the troops, or that the military forces -would attempt to interfere with legitimate trade. On this question it is appropriate to recall that His- Eminence Cardinal Logue and 26 bishops in April, 1918, issued a. declara- ; tion embodying a pledge against compul sory service. In Quebec the Church I adopted the same attitude, and who dues not remember Archbishop Man nix in Australia leading the campaign there against conscription? Again, look at what took place last month in Sydney at. the Irish Convention, called by this same. Archbishop Man nix for the purpose of supporting '" President" de Valera of "the Irish Republic." a man who is trying to break up the United Kingdom and form an Irish Republi--. The conference on the motion of Archbishop Redwood, of New Zealand, endorsed Ireland'.-- appeal for " international " recognition and "pledged themselves to support De Valera." They t'urthei said " we stand by everything he has done." (Great cheering.) No doubt i thev support him in the rebellion of 1916. , when the Sinn Feiners allied themselves with the, Hun! Archbishop Redwood said : '"All good Australians should be Sinn Feiners!" Then Father O'Connell, of New Zealand, claiming to represent a lar"-e bodv of the people in New Zealand, said : "The people of the Dominion looked to Australia for a lead." God forbid. May I ask any loyal citizen would any such statements" made by these high dignatories of the Roman Catholic Church not justify any Protestant organisation coming into existence to guard our Constitution. A Member ok the P.P. A. Sir,—The " unreasonableness " of the Irish is very, veiy appalling to Mr. X. Mi'Mullen and'others who have been doing considerable shouting about " self-deter-

mination" and the rights (if Iffaey hav» been under German or Austrian' rule) of small nations " Is it any w'omfe ffiatlfe unreasonable Irish are now, demanding the same rights that have been--granted to those who were formerly ruled bv the Central Powers? They have read of • bleeding Belgium," " Servia rent asunder, "the persecuted Slavs, Poles" ' etc. They have grown tired of Ireland playing the star role i.. thai, pathetic drama entitled •' The Niobe of the Nations." The Irish seem unable (or-un-willing) to appreciate the thoughtful and paternal Government which has almost depopulated their native land and allowed them to emigrate to distant countries foreseeing that they would be much happier far removed from the lakes and glen?, th rocks and mountains, and the fertile land that could easily support twice the present population. * In soite. of the blessings of English rale in Ireland, the Irish keep on singing that exasperating ballad. " Self-determination for Ireland." It is very, verv hard to satisfy the unreasonable" Irish. J. J. 08. Sir,—The subjoined fi cures T quote on the authority of The Statesman's Year Book, the Daily Mai! Year Book, and the. Stock E.-.change Gazette. Thrv show the amazing progress that Ireland' has made since the Union. Open-minded readers will I consider, accept them in preference to the whining of disloyal Sinn Feiners:- - Irish imports and export' 1790 I £7,660.971: 1915, £172.413 Deposits Irish joint stock banks : 1852 £10.773,000 : 1918. £118.250.325. Deposits' Irish «a\Hr,cs banks: 1851, £1,547.617: 1918. £20.250.410 C /^°^J rlßn rev «nue over expenditure; 1910-16: £5,332,000; 1916-17, £11,080,500. r. E. Montgomery. LABOUR AND THE WAR. Sir.—Will you please give me space to draw attention to remarks made bv a, I Labour speaker, who would lead "his ! hearers to believe that the present Govern - I merit was the cause of the war. and that if I Labour ruled there would be no war. In j reply, may I ark what say did the Xew I Zealand or any other Government ill the I British Empire haver As everyone knows, j Germany was righting several days before, Britain declared war. According to the speaker we should have allowed to go on. What would have happened to us workers in that event' Then he said we are preparing for another war. Were we prepared when the late war came? No. And I say the only way to prevent such a tiling happening again is to', be prepared. We all know too well what a. horrible thing war is. The fit men went to fight, and great numbers of them fell to protect their sisters, their mothers, their aged fathers, their country, their birthright. To sum the whole thing up,, it's a, poor miserable means of making party capital. Spade A. Spade. HOME FOR LOST DOGSSir,— ln my application*!/.) the City Council for a lease of laud in Stanley Street my j idea was to improve on the City Council's I method of treatment of stray dogs. I proposed to take over the control of" all lost and stray dogs, and thus relieve the City Council of the care of such dogs. My home for lost dogs would be a copy of Sydney or Melbourne homes. The DeputyMayor's assertion that such an institution would be a nuisance in the city area will I not hold good. In fact, in removing thi dogs from the old City Market and the depot at Freeman's Bay I would bo doing the city a good turn. I explained to the Deputy-Mayor that there would be no nuisance, that the home would be kept like a garden, and that it would not cost the city a shilling. All stray dogs brought to this home would be washed, j fed, and cared for, and if nut claimed by the owner after seven days would be sold, the proceeds to go to the upkeep of the. home. Dogs injured or past recovery would be humanely destroyed. H. Aldek; I-nspectoi. PENSIONS FOR VETERANS." ■ Sir,ln the Herald c f December 2 it is stated that Mr. Massey's Government has clearly redeemed its promise to intro- , duce radical reforms, ami incidentally I reference is made to the pension of £36 a i year granted to the Maori War veterans. ; : Perhaps it will interest our present-day j New Zealand soldiers to know- that Mr. j Massey not only redeemed the promises I of bis Government, but went a step further, and redeemed his promise i n regard I to the Maori War veterans' pension made [ when he was in opposition to the Liberal Government, of which Mr. Seddon and Sir J. Ward were in their turn Prima Ministers. In the Tow„ Hall, Auckland, Mr. Massey advocated that the small j "dwindling company" of New Zealand I war veterans should be granted a pension. This statement was made in November, 1911. About July of the following year Mr. Massey was Premier —the, session of Parliament in that year under his Premier, ship passed the New Zealand Maori War Veterans' Pension Act. Then, and not till then, did the old soldiers' of the Maori wars, 1860-70, have their past military services recognised by a New "Zealand! Premier. N.Z. Mauri War Yetekax. PRODUCERS AND PRICES. Sir, —A correspondent seeks froia "Groaning" information as to how producers can raise prices. Producers cannot, of course, affect all the factors which determine, the market price, but they can and do affect the two important ones of supply and demand, the first by combination, ensuring regular and even supply ; the second by advertisement,. An example of the second is afforded by the producers of Glaxo. In this ease the actual dairy farmer had no hand in causing the higher price, but he is now taking a hand in the same industry, thus directly raising or helping to raise the price of ail milk products, of dairy stock, and finally of land. I am not passing any moral judgment, but simply stating a fail. Producers everywhere, are recognising t.iat co-operation pays them better than cmpetition. The ' flourishing apple indu.-try of British Columbia affords a c"d example. By combination the growers have secured a steady market with good prices instead of the seasonal!;- gl it ted market vith low prices. Isv judicioiw propaganda the public has been cdui ate"! to appreciate good apples in n i'., sen.-i , and the growers to supply good ipiality— both powerful factors in gnvnung th« market price. Coming ii"« to your '~!• respondent's content Hint the prima producers had to ae.vpi I lie lmperi.4 Government's offer. I « iil'l ask him '" refer to the a.ti.m ■■■> the Vn.-trn'iaii butter-producers in In.him.: hark t.il 11,.v s-eeured a substantial alvanc- -'vr thi i price paid here for a superior article 1 I would al.-o rail his noti.-e to <-'••' ii"naoceptan.e of the ..ffer for .-In-t >e. and the subsequent securing "f a. holier price. ] Gil'.'AM.'.'..