IRISH OATH RILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21647, 18 May 1932, Page 9

IRISH OATH RILL

LABOUR MEMBERS’ ATTITUDE WILL PRESS FOR REFERENDUM. LONDON, May 17. (Received May 17, at 0.35 p.m.) The Daily Herald’s Dublin correspondent states that the Labour members intend to press for a referendum on the oath question. They are also dissatisfied with Mr de Valera’s sweeping tariffs. “DEAD TIMBER” DEBATE IN THE DAIL. J LONDON, May p. In the committee stage of the Oath Abolition Bill, in the Free State Dail, the amendment to be moved by Mr Frank M'Dermott (Independent) was disallowed on the ground that it introduced extraneous matters. The oath suggested by Mr M'Dermott would read:—“l solemnly promise^true faith and allegiance to the Free State, and during the continuance of the Free State in the British Commonwealth, I solemnly promise to be loyal •to the partnership obligations thereby involved, and to the Crown, as the symbol of that partnership.” Mr' Ernest Blythe, ex-Minister of Finance, moved an Opposition amendment, keeping the oath intact in the Constitution, but .removing the obligation .on members of Dail Eireann to take the oath. He said that the treaty should not be ended by unilateral action, and urged negotiation on the question whether the taking of the oath should be obligatory. Mr de Valera said that the amendment was valueless. The Bill removed dead timber from the Constitution, and the Government did not propose at present to interfere with whatever validity the treaty might have.