LORD DUDLEY AND HOME RULE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12749, 22 March 1910, Page 2

LORD DUDLEY AND HOME RULE.

CRITICISM BY GRAND MASTER SNOWBALL. A DIGNIFIED KEPLY. [Pbeßß Association — Copxbiqhx. j Melbourne, March 21. Correspondence arising from public criticism by Mr Snowball, head of the Orange Order here, of a speech- delivered by Lord Dudley, GoveornorGeneral, at the opening of the Roman Catholic College has been, published. Mr Snowball, in the course of his remarks, said that Lord Dudley might have seen lit to say that he neveft countenanced anybody who was no£ in favour of giving the Irish separate rule,, adding that Lord Dudley might have thought that his position as Governor-General justified him in saying such things. Lord Dudley's private secretary wrote pointing out the difference between Lord Dudley's actual remarks, which wore that he would take no part with any organisation or body wnich ' had not for its purpose the advancement, progress and prosperity of Ireland, and those attributed to him. Mr Snowball, in justifying his criti- ; cism, added that it was distinctly offensive to a large section of the people for their Governor-General to publicly throw his necessarily weighty official influence into the advocacy and encouragement of the agitation for Home Rule for Ireland. Tho private secretary to the Gover-nor-General responded that Lord Dudley did not propose to discuss the desirableness of either Irish Home Rule or tho government of Ireland. He had expressed no opinion on the former or the latter. He had advocated Irish i reforms when in a position to take part in a political controversy ; but never then nor now had he expressed an> sympathy with any change of government in Ireland which would involve or in the slightest way lead to separation from the Empire. The correspondence closes with a [ lettar from Mr Snowball expressing pleasure that he now perceived that , Lord Dudley had no real sympathy I with those who advocated Ireland's s separation from Britain. i •