HOME RULE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12745, 24 April 1912, Page 5

HOME RULE.

ALL-FOIMRELAND CONVENTION

GREEN FLAG HOISTED

THE BILL APPROVED OF

(Press Assn. — By Telegraph. — Copy rig; I 1

LONDON,

April 22,

Mr Redmond lias received cablegrams from the Archbishops of Sydney and Melbourne, and the Bishops of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and New Zealand approving of the Home Rule Bill. The Nationalists have invited Mr W. G. Gladstone, Liberal MP., to. attend the Irish Convention at Dublin to-day. (Received April -24, 11.15, a.m.) , .At the All-for- Ireland Convention Mr John Redmond, the president, said that the Bill was the greatest and. most satisfactory ever offered, implying .the disap-* pearance of Dublin Castle and all its evil bloodstained traditions. They would be a nation of fools not to accept it. He was aware that safeguards to religious ascendancy were unnecessary, but as long as anyone in Ireland had honest doubts about this question he was prepared to accept those safeguards. The Bill gave Ireland immediate control of of the Irish services, ' and eventually , the whole of them. He insisted' that xhe finance of the Bill was far better than either, of its predecessors. ...Ther-Mayoi:. of Cbi?k seconded the motion, which was carried: with great enthusiasm. ,-.,, ... • , ■ The green flag was unfolded simultaneously with the carrying of the motion. WELLINGTON, last might. Mr Martin Kennedy has sent the following cablegram to Mr John RedUiond, president of the Convention of All Ireland ? which is being held in Dublin to consider the Home Rule Bill : — "New Zealand Home Rulers send congratulations on the .splendid outcome of your work. Ireland's great heart can forgive past oppressions, and she will be enabled, through the Bill, to accept her rightful place in the great Empire . to* which we are proud we belong." .

; ( ,; U.LONDON, April 17. The Home Rule' Bill, or, aa it is officially designated, the Government of Ireland Bill, was further discussed in the House of Commons on Monday. Mr Balfour, by whom the debate was resumed, characterised the bill as "an unsymmetrical, botched federal scheme, utterly unworthy of any British statesman." As for the insane Customs,proposals, he 'did not think that any English or Scottish jneriiber wpuld, support them. Mr Rudyard Kipling's verses on ,the , Home .Rule ( Bill were ihe subject of. a [question in the House of Commons today, when Mr Joseph Martin desired to know whether the Government intended to prosecute Mr Kipling. on a charge of sedition. The Premier replied that the Government: had no intention, to initiate any proceedings against Mr Kipling. Mr Redmond raised a laugh by asking whether Mr Kipling's effusion could be called verse. ,-.'•■

(Australian Press Specials.) LONDON, April 17, Press comment on the Honie Rule Bill follows party lines, though ih the case of the Unionist papers the denunciation of the measure is milder than might have been expected. Some of the Unionist journals are apparently making efforts to inflame the> Nationalists against the Bill by describing its provisions as illusory, and ridiculing it as a measure of devolution such as other selfrespecting nations of the. Einpire could' not accept. The Unionist organs in Ireland denounce the Bill ih the bitterest pterins. The Liberal papers ad-, mit the complexity of tlie measure, and generally ohject to the .system of nomination with respect to the \' Senate. These journals think that there may be difficulty with the financial' .proposals, which at present are little understood. Gin the whole, however, the Liberal and Radical press is pleased to describe the Bill as a skilful and praiseworthy .at-; tempt to give Ireland, if not complete satisfaction, at least a substantial fulfiLment of her demands. The Times* declares that the Bill will not be received in any quarter, with/ much enthusiasm, that it >vill . disappoint the hopes of the Nationalists, and that it will not allay* the fears or diminish the hostility of the Unionsts in Ireland. , "And, " if wo are not mistaken," adds the paper, "it will 3\vell the rising tide of opposition in Great Britain to a level high enough to submerge the Government, and the Bill; in no distant future will not satisfy even any of tihe various schools of . theoretical Home Rulers." 'The Dublin papers printed full reports, qf the speech made by Mr Asquith-when-introducing the Home Rule Bill. 'As far as judgment is possible, .biefoye the text of the Bill is available, the measure is regarded as favorable to an unexpect> ed degree. ißt is. considered .to be. better than either of Mr Gladstones from an executive, administrative, and, above all, from a.financial point of view. It is thought that , there. : inay.. be critiqisrn of certain matters of* detail, but the Bill no doubt will be accepted by the forthcoming.. National- .Convention. J^e power given to the Irish Executive to appoint Judges came -as. a surprise, and is greatly appreciajtedl^ ', ./ On. , ,the .whole the Nationalist .papeViS; of ■ Irelandconsider the Bill , satisfactory, though' some of them p^f^.jiot. to. regard.it afti representing finality ;in the : .matter of sjelf -government' xfor Ireland. The Freeriian's Journal^' .describes! the measure as jtthe greatest, JtoMest, arid, /niost, g'eherous <jf the three HomeVßule? Bills, that liaye been brought foi?wai?4, ahd adds: "We 1 ahall not be surprised to .find it received, with a heajty, welcoih© by. the Irishpart v." . '."* . . .-. ;. !j! The Irish Times (Unionist) writes: i'-'The measure will prove so utterly unL W'k,ible : as to offer: ho ipddle course between complete separation from Great Britain, and .a retu^'n to the status of union." """, - „ "It would probably be correct, remarks the Irish Independent, "in describing the Bill, to say that, it gives us three-quarters of what we expected, and probably?«not so large a share of what we demanded. The measure cannot be regarded as\final." , t .i_ n The Cork- Press declares that the Uovernhtei\f's schfeme will not prove a solution $ tigrish problem, . Mr Asouith's speech when introducing the, Home Bade. Bill lasted two hotirs, and is described by old parliamentarians, aa the most masterly effort, of the kind, of recent, years. DuVing; the debate . Mr Redmond admi tt/ed that a Section of Irishmen favored separation; but that they were -t-he smaller, section, and would soon, disappear. :- ; *

The tidlfast correspondent' of the Daily Mail say* that the Orange, Lodges, have; issued oi-dJrs to, their member*, that public disturbances at present, must be; suppressed,: but nobody »n twju.*wrth the Orangemen doubts that .ultimately there will he riot and bloodshed over the Home' Rule Bill. Arrangements, are. being made by the Unionist organisers for a special meeting in a fortnights time to decide upon the best methods ot having peace -preserved in the early* stages of the Bill,, and. to organise a plan of campaign against the possible even-' tualitv of the btfl becoming law/ In the meantime the Unionists' organisation is so complete that it ia, hoped thatuany- ; thing in the way of riots will be avoided. 'J?he danger, it is pointed out, lies in the burning of bonfires by the Roman Catholics within range of the Protestant line-s. • y Interviewed regarding the. Homo Rule $ill, Mr Redmond, 'leader of the Irish' party, said:— "The bill is splendid. There is 'now unanimity in the tanks of the Liberals, and it is a noteworthy point that the Opposition discussed the measure as they would any ordinary one. I can detect a, difference in their tone and there is no wave of passion, such as was witnessed in connection with Mr. Gladstone's first bill. The reception that the measure has met with is entirely satisfactory to myself and my colleagues." The Pall Mall. Gazette asks whether Roman Catholic Bishops will bo eligible for nomination for the proposed Irish Senate. The paper remark that this a matter about which Mr Asquith had nothing to say when introducing the Home Rule Bill.