FUTURE OF IRELAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19239, 1 August 1924, Page 7

FUTURE OF IRELAND

THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE. NEW CRISIS ARISES. IS FREE STATE DOOMED? PrM* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July el. (Received July 51, at 8 p.m.) Following the Judicial Committee s mtei pretatiou of tho Irish Treaty, opinion is general that the oidy way out of the deadlock Is for the Government to proa legislation itself appointing a Boundary Commission. The Daily Chronicle saya that Cabinet considered the position and came to the conclusion that a most difficult situation had been created. It is understood that Ministers, in view of the fact that the present Government ivas not responsible tor tho treaty, decided that they ought to consult those concerned. Accordingly they communicated with, tho signatories, and also with tho leaders of the parties which were in office when the treaty was trained. It is understood that a conference with those will be held at Downing street immediately. Di tho meantime it is indicated that it will bo necessary to prolong the sitting of Parliament for a week, and possibly Mr Thomas may cancel his trip to South Africa. Tho Daily Telegraph says that the ruund-the-table conference in connection with the Treaty will bo hold at Downing street this morning. Invitations have been issued to Mr Baldwin, Mr Asquith, and the signatories, Mr Lloyd George, Mr Austin Chamberlain, Lord Birkenhead, Mr Churchill, Sir L. Worthmgton-Kvans, BiT Hamar Greenwood and Lord Hewart. Tho Daily Express states that tho Government feels that faith must be kept with the Free State, and if a Bill is not brought forward immediately a smous position will arise in Southern Ireland, owing to the Republican activities and tho failure of the I pee State Government to hold its position. The Morning Post’s correspondent learns that the Imperial Government has ordered tho withdrawal of the British troops from Bellukfort in the disturbed area on tho north-west border and argues chat this is ill-timed. Everyone knows that tho days of the Cosgrave Government are numbered, and the general expectation is that there will be a collapse of the bree State constitution in the late autumn and the enthronement of republicanism. A. and N.2. Cable.

The failure of the conference may have a considerable effect on the posi,um of the Irish Free State Government, wrote the diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, when the recent conference failed to reach an agreement. It is anticipated that the Government will now call upon the Imperial Government to appoint a representative on the Boundary Commission provided lor in the Irish Treaty. That instrument arranges for a Commission consisting of a representative nominated by each of the Ulster and Free State Governments, with a chairman to be appointed by the British Government, to settle the question of boundaries. The Free State Government have already selected their nominee, Professor M’Neill, but the Ulster Government have all along resolutely refused to have anything to do with such a commission, or'to appoint a representative to it. iNo provision exists in the treaty to meet such a contingency, and already there are demands from certain sections in the Pvee State that the British Government should pass special legislation, _ taxing powers to appoint a Boundary Commission irrespective of Ulster representation. The difficulties of such a course are obvious, aucl strenuous efforts have been made by the British Government to arrive at a' settlement by agreement. bpeahing on February 28 last, Mr J. H. Thomas caid • “I am one of those who hope, yea, and pray, this one outstanding question will not be settled by an outside authority ■with bitterness of feeling and differences, but will be settled by Irishmen themselves sitting round a table and saying, ‘Wo are the best judges of our own difficulties; we can best solve our own problem.’ ”