OPENING OF THE ULSTER PARLIAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18310, 29 July 1921, Page 6

OPENING OF THE ULSTER PARLIAMENT

HISTORIC CEREMONY

THE VICEROY ON THE ACT

(Faou Ouk Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, Junq 9. Belfast was viry much on fete a lew flays ago on the occasion of the first meeting of the Northern Parliament, which was formally opened in the City Hull by the Viceroy, Lord I itzalan, but a Finite opening by the King will shortly take place, and to this ceremony the dominion Premiers have been invited. The 12 .Sinn Fein and Nationalist members did not put in an appearance, hut the 40 Unionist members were all present to take tltoir part in a scene that will fot all time have its own page in the history of Ireland. The personnel of the new Cabinet is thus announced;—Prime Minister, Sir James Craig; Minister of Finance, Mr 11. M. Pollock; Minister of Affairs, Sir R. D. Bates; Minister of Labour, Mr J. M. Andrews; Minister of Education, the Marquis of Londonderry; Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, the Right Hon. E. M. Archdale. The Lord Lieutenant has made the following appointments:—Mr J. M. Barhour, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Ministry of Finance: Major Lord Massereene and Forrard, D. 5.0., Parliamentary Secretary to tho Ministry of tho Prime Minister; Captain H. Dixon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance; Mr R. D. Megaw, K.C., Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs; Mr J. F. Gordon, Parliamentary Secretary of tho Ministry of Labour; Mr R. J. M'Keown, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce ; Mr T. H. Burn, Assistant Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Finance.

Members sat on each side of the House, with the clerks’ table in the centre, and, surmounting all. the massive mayoral chair, to be converted for the time being into the Sneaker’s chair. *’ There was a Happy blend of the ancient with the modern. In front of tho Speaker’s seat the mace wtis not yet on view, parliamentary procedure being followed as far as possible, but aU the other paraphormlia of the House of Commons were visible. Tho table at which the members took the oath was a relic of the old Irish Parliament, and an exquisite piece of furniture. The ’inscription indicates that it was made to tho order of the Righ Hon. John Foster, last Speaker of tho Irish House, in 1799. Mr Speaker Fester was an ancestor of the Massereene family, whoso present head was an interested spectator at the proceedings. This table is composed of every known Trbb wood. The hose consists of a model Irish harp, .worked out in detail. ELECTION OF SPEAKER. The Sergeant-at-Arnis advanced into the Chamber with the mace, bowing, deposited it on the table. The Lord Primate, uttired in his robes, offered prayers, the members following the House <:f Commons practice of standing back-to-back. In loud tones, Mr Arthur Dasont read thb proclimation convening the House, and the Viceroy called 1 on members of tho House totetnoso the Speaker. Mr Hugh O’Neill wlßunanimously chosen, and. taking the duff, he was heartily congratulated hy Sir James Graig, who promised him tho whole-hearted support of tho members. ,

' THE VICEROY ON RELIGION. limzicuiateiy aacr uio ceremony the Prime Minister entertained dOJ leading Ulstermen amt ladies to luncheon in mo banqueting hall, it was lu*ie trial tne auiiouuooinent ot tno coming Ivoyal visit was made, and it was received wna a great outburst ot enthusiasm, the company using and cheering lor a couple ot minutes. J.ne iving s heauu was jlrunk. with great lervoir, and tno company sang the National Anthem. \ iscou-ut t itzalan & speech created a good impression. lie Humorously relerred to the lacl that tuey were not all ot the same religion, “i glory in mine," ho said, "I daresay you glory in yours (Uheers.) It I were to ciiango my rengipn I believe everyone m mis room would look upon tno as a most appalling bounder; it you were to change yours I would not think anything tno worse ot you.” tLaughter.) Turning to oilier topics, Viscount Fitzalan warmly dolenued tuo Black and 'lans. While it was unjust mat they should be blamed lor the crimes ot a lew, ho sternly denounced murder gangs and said that Ireland could not bo prosperous until tne sin of murder was eradicated. lie spoKe optimistically of the luturc of the Northern Parliament, saying: “I don’t pretend lor ono moment that tho Act winch is tho foundation of your Parliament in Northern Ireland is a perfect Act; in tact, I believe it wants amending already. And 1 shall not bo at all surprised ii it is amended in the not very tur-distanl future. 1 know you did not want it, and that you only accepted it on. the advice ol your grojit loader, Lord Carson, and your present Prime Minister, and, :f it is not impertinent for me to say so, 1 think you did well. You wanted no change, bul so long as your own particular interests were saleguarded you wote willing to lend a hand Tor the luturc welfare ol your country as a whole. 1 believe you have ’ done it. At any rate this Act» ot Parliament, \yhich establishes a Parliament here in the North of Ireland, and gives power to establish another Parliament in Southern Ireland, does this: It gives to Irishmen as a whole the right and, if they choose to exorcise it, the power to manage their own affairs.” (Cheers.) Relative to the approaching State ceremony, the Daily lelcgrapu remarks that the King will not only bo giving outward expression to lus own hearty goodwill towards Ireland, but also that ol the entire wideworld people of whom he is the head and supremo representative. It is understood that he will be accompanied by the Premiers of the Overseas btates. Our visitors from the dominions will find themselves in a congenial atmosphere. Ulster has not received “colonial self-government’’ which, in tho full sense, can never be accorded either to Northern or to Southern Ireland. But the Ministers from the outer Empire will watch with interest and sympathy tho first stages of a new constitutional experiment. They will see in it a further, if a somewhat modified, application of the principle which has conferred unity and strength upon their own prosperous ailtl progressive communities. The new Northern State expresses the same conception of popular rights and local selfdetermination which gave the privileges of nationhood to tho English-speaking peoples of the Atlantic and the Pacific. The opening of the Ulster Parliament marks an epoch of Imperial development as definite as the. Dominion of Canada Act and tho Australian Commonwealth Act. The Premiers will not fail-to note the point; and to some of them it may be a novel experience to find themselves in the midst of a large Irish population, which has no sense of grievance • against the Crown and people of Britain, which is not disorderly, discontented, or seditious, and which wishes to strengthen, rather than impart-, the bonds that, link together tho constituent .parts of the United Kingdom. They will be able to inform their own peoples, many of whom are misled or deceived, that there are two Irelands, and that one of them has nothing but abhorrenre«for the violence and outraeo under which the other lice prone and apparently helpless.