IRELAND'S TROUBLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21328, 1 November 1932, Page 9

IRELAND'S TROUBLES

ROAD TO RUIN plight of agriculture duties on produce [LABOUR MORE RESTIVE UNEMPLOYMENT GROWS By Telecrnph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 31. 6.55 p.m.) Q'-mes Cable' LONDON. Oct. 30 The Dublin correspondent of the Times states that the increase in the duties on farm produce to 30 per cent after Novem Ivr 15 spells ruin if it is maintained for n:anv months, and the effect on the Christmas' trade in poultry is likely to be calamitous. , ilie Free' Stale's whole argicultural economy is heading for bankruptcy, ind icing "a feeling that a political crisis is certain in the next few weeks. The Labour Party is growing increasingly restive, unemployment has assumed a arming proportions, and the resources f,, r poor relief are in the last stages of exhaustion Anything ,mav happen if the Government'adds to the general discontent by enforcing the collection of the land a niuities. CLASH AT MALLOW TWELVE PEOPLE INJURED " WHITE ARMY " MEETING (Received October 31, 6.55 p.m.) J'iines Cable' LONDON. Oct. 30 According to the Dublin correspondent of the Times 12 people suffered head inj iries in a clash at Mallow, County Cork, when General Mulcahy addressed a meeting of the '' White Army." A member of the organisation was shot in one leg. ABORTIVE PARLEYS LAND annuities dispute OPPOSING ARGUMENTS (Received October 31, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY. Oct. 30 In the White Paper containing the corivsDondence relating to the recent conference in London between the United Kingdom /and the Irish Free State it is iihown that the latter declined to recognise that there was any binding force in certain instruments upon which the British Government relied. The Free State Government contended -hat land /.and stocks are part of the public debt of the United Kingdom and j should, therefore, under the 1925 agreement which amended the Irish Treaty, remain the liability of the United Kingdom. The British Government replied that there were many considerations to show that Irish land and stocks were not part of the public debt or the national debt of the United Kingdom. They had never been so shown in the British accounts. They were a contingent liability since the primary security is the Land Purchase :.umd "and the British Government was only guarantor. Apart from technical considerations it was perfectly clear that when the agreement of 1925 was signed, by which the .Free State was absolved from bearing any share/ of the public debt of the United Kingdom, neither party intended to include land annuities in this teim. This was shown, inter alia, by the fact that the subsequent agreement of 1926 provided for the payment ox the annuities in full and without deduction of incometax to the National Debt Commissioners. The land annuities were debts due by Fi-ee State tenants to the Land Purchase Fund held by the National Debt Commissioners, in respect of sums advanced to enable them to buy their land. The annuities had been collected by the Free State Government as an agent. That Government had no light to collect except as an agent. It was bound to pay the annuities over when collected and the liee Ela'e Legislature had provided that they should be paid over. It was for this reason that the payments could not be regarded by Britain as interGovernmental debts.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

FINAL OFFICIAL ACT ABOUT TO VACATE OFFICE LONDON. Oct. 30 Mr. J: McNeill performed his last act 8$ Governor-General of the Irish Free State by signing three bills assented by the Senate. He will vacate the Vice-Regal lodge oil Tuesday. The appointment of Mr. McNeill's successor is expected to.be announced in a fortnight.