FUTURE OF IRELAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21161, 19 April 1932, Page 9

FUTURE OF IRELAND.

CRITICAL TEST COMING. ABOLITION OF THE OATH. BILL IN DAIL THIS WEEK. POSSIBILITY OF PASSAGE. By Telegraph—Pi ess Association—Copyright. (Received April 18. 9.15 p.m.) Times Cable. LONDON, April 17. Despatches from Dublin slate that, the Free State Government's bill to remove the oath of allegiance from the Constitution is being redrafted and will be introduced in the D?il this week. The Opposition, led by Mr. W. T. Cosgrave, will move a reasoned amendment on the second reading a fortnight hence. The Presiden;. of the Dnil, Mr. de Yalera, had a conference with Mr.. Norton, leader of the Labour group, and it is reliably stated that the Labour Party will vote teolidly in favour of the. bill, which, when it has passed the D'ail, will be sent to the Senate, which will either pass it or suspend it for 18 months. In the event of the suspension of the measure, Mr. di> Yalera is determined to have another general election. If lie is then successful the bill will be passed within 60 days. The Dublin correspondent of the Times says nobody car foresee the sequel to Mr. do Yalera's introduction of the bill. If Labour, as seems likely, supports it, the oath will be abolished by about 12 vcrtes. The Senate may refuse to throw out the bill because M\ de Yalera, if returned at a new election —which probably would follow—would abolish the Senate. Mr. de Yalera seems confident that his treatment of tlie oath will not affect his reception at the Ottawa Conference as the Free State's representative. He expects to return from Canada with valuable preferences. It has been said that he has a one-way mind, comments the correspondent. Apparently one-way minds can persuade themselves that they can have things both ways. There is considerable anxiety in trade and industrial circles in the Free State. A Dublin firm of biscuit makers announces that- if the Free State becomes politically independent the firm will be obliged to dispense with half its workers because the British import duties will prevent it competing with British firms. Furthermore, the firm would not. be able to export to ths Dominions and colonics. The Observer, commenting on Mr. dc Yalera's reported plans to increase the sale of Irish butter in the British market against Australian, New Zealand and Danish, says; "No, thank you, not on vour terms. Tho British people have this business in their own hands apart from Governments."