HOME RULE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16003, 20 February 1914, Page 5

HOME RULE

A CLEAN GUT NECESSARY.

STATEMENT BY MR BALFOUR

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, February 18. Speaking at a city Unionist mooting, Mr Balfour said that if ho were an ULslorniaii he would do as the Ulsternien are doing. The Government's tinkering was useless. A clean cut would alone avoid war. They must tell tho Government that this Bill, whether good or bad, cannot pass.

Sir E. Carson has announced that he has authorised tho expenditure of a further sum of £70,000 lor expected defence measures. LONDON, February 19. (Received Feb. 19, at 11.15 p.m.) Mr Balfour said that the Bill, which professed to complete the healing process in Ireland, had torn ancient wounds open. In Ireland there were now two opposite camps whose differences were now more irreconcilable than over. Tho situation was hopeless, and the entanglement formed an inextricablo mess. The Government admitted that the modification was necessary, but the modification was not known, and possibly it was unknowable, unbelieved. The Government had willingly thrown rfself into armed collision with Ulster. He warned the Government that while its plans were still malleable it should not commit the most fatal mistake of a. half-measure—Home Rule within Homo Rule. It was the fixed desire of Ulster not to paralyse the Parliament in Dublin, but to be in tho British Parliament on equal terms with the rest of them. They knew that they were in the rapids, and even to the dullest ear the muttcring3 of the distant cataract were audible. Unless the Government made a clean cut it would find itself in a remorseless current, and the ship of State would be dashed into irremediable disaster.

Sir E. Carson said he was prepared to sacrifice everything rather than submit to the hateful rule. Nothing under Heaven would divert them from their fixed determination to remain with Britain.