FREE STATE REPUBLIC!

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18263, 5 December 1933, Page 5

FREE STATE REPUBLIC!

BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE STATEMENT TO BE MADE ECONOMIC WAR RESULTS (British Official Wireless.) Re,-, noon RUGBY, Dee. 4. It. is understood that the Cabinet lias approx oil the reply to the note recently received by Mr. ,1. 11. Thomas from Air. De Valera. The note asked for a statement regarding tin- British Government's attitude towards the declaration of an Irish Re-

public. The terms of the reply will he disclosed in both Houses of Parliament to-morrow, hi the House ul (.ominous, a statement will he made ill reply to a question, and in the House ol Lords, the su.jject will he raised by Lord Danesfort. v. Jin will ask whether, in view ot Mr. De Valera’s recent demand that the iiiitish Government should acquiesce m tho declaration of a republic, the Government will undertake that it will not tolerate any interference with the status of Irish loyalists. 'Questioned in the House'of Commons as to whether the duties now imposed on products from the Irish I' roe State entering Britain were sufficient to make goo, I the loss suffered by the British taxpayer by reason of the delimit of the Irish Free State on the land annuities, Mr. Thomas said lliat up to April 1, 1933, the total default amounted to £4.774,0C0. For the period from April 1 to November 30. 1933, the sum ol £2.579.000 was stilly owing. The total amount collected In unties from imports from the. Irish Free State up to April 1 was £2,518,000. From that date to November 25. £3.054,000 had been collected in duties.

Replying to a supplementary question. Mr. Thonias explained, in regard to the outstanding deficiency of about .£2,000.009, that the. British Government did not impose import duties for many months after the default first arose, hoping and believing that the Irish Free State would meet its obligations.

Addressing the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, the Irish Free Stale Finance Minister said it was the earnest desire of the Free State Government that the relations between the peoples of Ireland ind Great Britain, who had community of interests, should lie amicable and cordial.