STATEMENT IN COMMONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11217, 24 May 1922, Page 5

STATEMENT IN COMMONS

NEW AGREEMENT RAISES SERI* OUS ISSUES. A CONFERENCE CALLED. (Received Mav 23, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 22. Mr Winston Churchill, in the Housft of Commons, stated that the Government was not yet able to form any final conclusion in regard to the agreement between Mr I)e Valera and Mr Collins. The agiccment would appear to mis© most serious issues, both as to th© character and va’idity of the elections and the treaty itself. The Government had, therefore, invited the signatories to the treaty to come to London. After the eon fere nee at the weekend he hoped to make a statement to Lhe House. Meanwhile he trusted that th© House would refrain from a premature and liaety judgment upon the agreement either in a favourable or unfavourable sense. After detailing the murder of Mr Twaddell and the outrages organised liy Republicans in various parts of six counties, he said he had ©very confidence that the Northern Government would continue to grapple with the serious task of re* storing order. Lord Londonderry waa conferring with the Government regarding arms and equipment of the police force which the Northern Government was organising. It was the Government’s intention to support the Ulster Government in every way in its power. Mr Devlin complained that this was a one-sided statement of the conditions in Ulster. He said that several Roman Catholics had been manlered. Mr Churchill replied: “I have not attempted to conceal the obvious fact that murders and counter-murders are being done by both religious sects, but lhe principal fact during the weekend has been the violent attempts to create outrage and disorder in what was hitherto considered a quiet oortion of North Ireland.” Replying to Mr Lambert. Mr Churchill said that the British War Office was riot responsible for law and order in North Ireland, but was responsible for its defence.