ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY AND “ SELF-DETERMINATION.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18158, 1 February 1921, Page 8

ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY AND “ SELF-DETERMINATION.”

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—When the local " Roman Catholic Bishop and clergy of the_ dioceses ” pass a resolution and publish it in the_ daily press, I suppose it is subject to criticism. I take strong exception to the resolution as published in jtt>ur paper on Saturday. The first part statesthat the “Hierarchy of Ireland have protested that the policy of _ frightfulress under which civilians are ill-treated, flogged, and murdered, shops, creameries, and homes raided and looted, and young women tom, half-dressed, from their homes in the middle of the night, has been connived at, encouraged and apparently organised by the English Government.” The hierarchy of Ireland and the local bishop and priests are entitled to believeywhat they please, but when they flaunt this belief in the face of loyal British subjects it is high time to protest. I do not believe for one fraction of a second that the English Government connives at, encourages, or organises any of the outrages enumerated. The second part of the resolution expresses the belief that the solution of the Irish question lies in the “ recognition of the indefeasible right of Ireland, as of every other nation, to choose the form of government under which its people are to live/’ Note the words “other nation,” the implication being that Ireland is a I have yet to learn ijhat this is correct. New., Zealand has as much claim to be called a “ nation ” as Ireland has. Ireland and New Zealand are both only part of a nation. A good de.al of any force this part of the resolution may otherwise have had therefore falls. When any part of a nation occupies a strategical position, as Ireland does, the loss of which would-jeopardise the stability of that nation, it is unthinkable that this position is' to bo given up simply for the asking. The other parts of the nation Lave an “indefeasible right” to be consulted in the matter.

There is too much kid-glove handling in dealing with this Irish question. Let those who believe jn the stability of the British Empire being maintained as it 1 is, without disintegrating it as is sought, say so with no uncertain sound. Tlhe Irish “Republic” has no place in my thoughts. In regard to the outrages, I agree with a recent writer in your columns, who said that in Sinn Fein eyes the person who skulks in cowardly fashion behind a high hedge and dhoots a loyal British subject, is a “ hero,”, but the person who retaliates and shoots this “hero” is a murderer. v

If the hierarchy of Ireland and the Catholic clergy would exercise the undoubted influence which they possess in the direction of maintaining a solid British Empire, the Jrish question would soon be settled. There is no use wasting time and killing people over the dream of,an Irish “ Republic.”— l am, etc., Protestant. MAORI NAMES FOR STEAMERS. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I notice you published an excerpt from the Manawatu Times in which the desire is expressed that the Union Steam Ship Company should revise the names of its steamers, and Wingatui is cited as not being a Maori name. What is the matter with Wi-nga-tui, or Wa-nga-nui, or Mau-nga-nui? Wing-a-tui is an old school boy pun on the word which, to my knowledge, is 60 years old.—l api, etc., Thomas Moir. Invercargill, January 28.

A remarkable case of over-population is that of the Island of Bukara, in Lake Victoria Nyanza, described by 11. L. Duke in the “Comhill Magazine.” This island, with an area of 36 square miles, much of which is bare granite, though isolated from the rest of the world, supports a popular tion of 19,000. The small garden plots are carefully marked off and rights of ownership are rigidly observed. Trees ard valued more than the land on which they grow. In some cases one man owned the trees and another man the ground. A man must not steal his neighbour’s leaves, sticks, and rubbish. A father may even divide a tree among his children, allotting certain branches to each.

Proclaimed as the largest uncut precious stone in the world, an enormous, absolutely flawless black opal, recently discovered in America, is now in the office of a Government official in Washington, D.C. The gem contains approximately 21 cubic inches, and weighs 2,572,332 carats. It is valued at £50,000 by the owners.