HOME RULE

Southland Times, Issue 17464, 2 October 1913, Page 5

HOME RULE

OPINION OF A PEER.

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright.)

LONDON. October 1. Received October 1. 9.25 p.m. Lord St. Aldwyn, in a letter to the press, states that he had a personal bias towards settlement by consent, instancing the Irish Church Act. 1569. and the Reform Act, ISS3. In these cases, however. both parties agreed on a principle; but no such accepted basts existed in regard to a conference on the Home Rule question. He asks how could the Government depart from the principle of an autonomous Ireland, or how could the Unionists accept a principle to which they were opposed for twenty-seven Even if the Nationalists agreed to the exclusion of Ulster lie felt sure that Ulster Protestants would never yield their weak and scattered co-religionists to a domination which they dreaded for themselves. Therefore, he did not anticipate anything useful as a result of a conference. There was room to find an escape from the mischief going on in Ulster. Both parties ought to discuss the possibility of accepting the country’s judgment, with a guarantee that, if the judgment is favourable to Home Rule, the House of Lords will not impose any obstacle against the passing of the Bill into law in 1914. This would obviate the passing of the Bill, under the Parliament Act, which was odious to Unionists, and largely the cause of the present trouble. Disestablishment could be similarly treated. No responsible Minister would ■ contend that Home Rule should become law. If the majority of the people were opposed to it. PROSPECTS OF A CONFERENCE. Times — Sun Special Cable. ! LONDON, September 30. Received October 1, 6.40 p.m. No decision regarding the Home Rule question is likely to be arrived at until the Cabinet meets about the middle of the month. Liberal circles in London believe that the Government does not contemplate making any approaches to the Opposition.

There is a strong current of opinion that the Liberal Party is averse to a conference.