IRELAND’S SHARE OF THE NATIONAL DEBT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18424, 9 December 1921, Page 2

IRELAND’S SHARE OF THE NATIONAL DEBT.

MR WILFORD MAKES A SUGGES110N. (From Ona Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 8. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. Wilford) suggested in the House of Representatives to-day that the Government should try to secure for New Zealand's Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) the task of arbitrating concerning Ireland’s share of the National Debt and war expenditure. He quoted a suggestion made by Lord Birkenhead that the arbitrator should be a colonial judge, and asked if the Government would see if it was possible for the Governor-General to make representations that Sir Robert Stout, who was now in England, should bo appointed. Mr Massey: He is not in England. Mr Wilford: He could go back. The Government would not be ill-advised to make the suggestion. The Prime Minister replied that if anything of the sort was contemplated it was quite likely that he would be consulted. Since the recent meeting of the Imperial Conference, Mr Lloyd George had been in almost constant communication with the colonial Prime Ministers. Mr Massey added that he had great confidence in Sir Robert Stout, but ho believed that the Imperial authorities would make their own selection and make it from among the judges of the dominions.