IRISH BOUNDARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18813, 13 September 1924, Page 11

IRISH BOUNDARIES.

REPLY TO W(m> OEOBGB. PEOPLE'S CHOICE ' I&NIIRJED. ATTITUDE UNCHANGEO By Telegraph—Press Association-^Copyright, (Eecedved 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Sept. 12. The Irish Free Slate Boundary Bureau* has issued a reply to the statements made by Mr. Lloyd George in his speech at Penmaenmaxvr, Wales, in which he said ho supported the Government's Irish policy and approved the recently-published letter from the Earl of Birkenhead. The bureau claims that the present boundary cuts off 430,000 Nationalists from the Government of their choice, and adds: "The commission will provide an opportunity of meeting thoir wishes in the districts wherein they are in a majority, whether by parishes or more convenient areas." Sir James Craig, Premier of Northern Ireland, in an interview, declared that the Earl of Birkenhead's letter made no difference whatever to his attitude in regard to appointing a boundary (»mraissioner. To appoint one would deprive them of the right of appeal against any decision the Boundary Commission, if it ever were set up, might formulate. Mr. Lloyd George said that the Earl pi Birkenhead interpreted the boundary clause in the Irish Treaty as meaning only minor frontier rectifications. That was the only responsible interpretation of the clause. He could not imagine that the eminent South African Judge who had been called upon to interpret the Treaty would come to an unreasonable decision which would tear up Ulster's territory.