IRISH NEGOTIATIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14053, 25 July 1916, Page 5

IRISH NEGOTIATIONS.

— — m —m m -m 9 A CRISIS REACHED. SIR H. PLUNIiET'S WARNING. (Elec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assh.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 24. The Irish, negotiations have reached a crisis. The Nationalists contend that the Amending Bill should not go beyond the written agreeriient made with Mr. Lloyd George, and declare that they have received information that th c Government's proposals do go beyond these written terms, and the proposals cannot be accepted. Tlie Nationalists will meet to-day, and a final decision is expected. : Sir Horace Plunket (a persevering laborer for peace m Ireland), m an outspoken letter, begs L the Ministers not to imp-aril the Cabinet's existence by attempting to impose on Ireland a settlement she does not want and will not accept. Because Sir Edward Carson and Mr. Redmond have 'endorsed Mr. Lloyd George's scheme, the British pubI lie believes the opposition is confined j to rebels who want a republic, and j myopic Unionists who want to see Home 1 Rule as the law of the land, but the real opposition to the scheme comes from the great body of moderate Irish opinion, whicli accepts the Home Rule principle, but considers its applicatibri - at the present juncture mischievous and ! inopportune. He adds that at any oPen, j unfettered convention m any of the four provinces Mr. Lloyd George's proposals j would have, simply been howled down. - I .The scheme has- merits, he continues, and the idea of calling, m the.-.states-men of the. . self-governing. . Dominions after the war to, aid- m shaping a permanent policy for. Ireland is a valuable inspiration, but the rest- of the scheme, including the premature and unnatural partition of, the country and th© estabHshmlentof' an Irish Parliament without consulting .the Irish ...electorates,, hopelessly damns, it. The Government's (scheme will not get, Ireland out of the way. On- the contrary.. tlie scheme would I play diirectly into the hands ,of the most violent -section, of. £ie Sinn; Fein group. , The. situation demands that a provisional, and wholly . Irish system of administration be formed to carry oh Trish- Government for.. the duration of' the Wti'v without prejudice to the Solution - of -the major problem, which may big found possible hereafter. .'. Such an administration must rpst. on postulates. Ht hie Rule is" inevitable, and at least as ..n-uch as now conceded must be absolr t*Jy guaranteed the Nationalists. Secondly, Ulster must not and cannot be I I coerced. •.... ...:.. „, I .He is sure such a solution will be accepted by a united. Ireland-, m relief I and gratitude. He- believes Sir Edward I Carson Mi*. Redmond would now | bo rftlad. to consider any workable alterI native to the schetne so embarrassingly i put before them on behalf of the Cab- ' met. i ... >