HOME RULE BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8262, 26 October 1912, Page 5

HOME RULE BILL

SLOW PROGRESS AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 4 REJECTED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON, October 24. The House of Commons continued the discussion of the Home Rule Bill in committee. An amendment moved by Mr James Hope (Unionist member tor Sheffield Central) to clause 4, providing for the bringing of the Irish Executive under the control of the Imperial Parliament. was negatived by 280 votes to 190. . Mr Birrell, Chief Secretary for Ireland, said that if the Irish Parliament intended to have life, force and responsibility, it must navo Executive control. ~ . Mr Balfour, ridiculing the clause, said he foresaw chaos if the Executive resigned owing to the Lord-Lieutenant exorcising the veto, ~ _ _ Sir Edward Carson said the Government was not prepared to give the Irish full rights of self-government because it mistrusted them, and because Ireland refused to assume the full financial obligations on which the rl e““ of every self-governing colony were based. Greatly as ho loathed the BUI, if Ireland must have Home Rule he would much rather boo her work out her own destiny in her own way 'ban have this hybrid monster, which o not embody any Constitution. . Mr Rufus Isaacs, Attorney-General, complained of the Unionists msistmg on safeguards and then refusing them. He added that the Government was unable to treat Ireland like the sen governing dominions, because the relations, between Britain and Ireland wero different. THE CLAUSE CARRIED. (Received October 25, 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 25. Clause 4 was carried by 296 votes to 197. Seventy amendments wero guillotined. Clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill deal with Executive Authority. Clause 4 reads. 4—(1) The executive, power in wetono shall continue vested m Kinv. and nothing in this Act shall aaeci the exercise of that P°wor except a* respects Irish services as defined for the purposes of this Act. . (2\ As respects those Irish services Lord-Lieutenant or other chief executive officer or officers tor the time heins appointed in his place, on behalf of bis jeety, shall exercise *ny prerogative or other executive power of Jus tho exercise of which may ho delegated to him by hia Majesty. (5) The power so delegated shall be exercised through such Irish departments as may be established by Irish Act, or, subject thereto, bv the Lord Lieutenant, ana the Lord Lieutenant may appoint officers to administer those department*, and those officers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Lord Lieutenant. (4) The persona who are for the time being heads of such Irish departments as may be determined by Irish Act, or, In the absence of any such determination, by the Lord Lieutenant, and such other persons (if any) as tho Lord Lieutenant may appoint, shall be the Irish Ministers. Provided that — (a) No such person shall be an Irish Minister unless ho is a member of the Privy Council of Ireland; and (b> No such person shall hold office as an Irish Minister for a longer period than six months, un!ea he is or becomes a member of one of the Houses of tho Irish Parliament; and (o) Any such person not being the bead of an Irish department shall hold office as on Irish Minister daring the pleasure of the Lord Lieutenant in the same manner os the head of an Irish department holds his office. (5) The persons who are Irish Ministers for tho time being shall be an Kxecutivo Committee of tho Privy Council of Ireland (In - this Act referred to as tho " Executive Committee "), to aid and advise the Lord Lieutenant in the exercise of his executive power in relation to Irish eerrioes, (6) For the purposes of this Act, "Irish services'’ are all public services in connexion with the administration of the c(vjl government of Ireland except the administration of matters with respect to which the Irish Parliament have no power to make laws, including in the exception all oublie services in connexion with the administration of the reserved matters (in this Act referred to as " reserved services").