DUBLIN MEETING

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1932, Page 5

DUBLIN MEETING

WELCOME GIVEN BRITISH LEADERS SEEK SETTLEMENT PREPARATIONS FOR OTTAWA 'ATMOSPHERE FAVOURABLE PRESS WELCOMES CHANGE ? By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. Dublin, June 7. 7 Escorted by a car load of detectives, Mr. J. H. Thomas and Lord Hailsham arrived at the Government offices watch- ' ed by a silent crowd, who lingered while the conference lasted. Mr. Thomas and Mr. De Valera had never previously come into contact. There was a moment’s hesitation when they met, and then their -hands were extended with cordial greetings. Mr. Thomas was later host to eight o J. r. De Valeras Ministers at a luncheon, at the conclusion of which crowds cheered the visitors and almost mobbed their M ”ew people venture to predict the outcome of next Friday’s discussions in London, hut even those who despair of the result* emphasise that it is all for the good that Mr. De Valera has abandoned his long-range defiance in favour of personal contact. Those well informed in Ireland predict that the Senate will easily carry the amendment that would have made the Oath Bill ineffective until Britain consented to the abolition of the oath. They claim that they detect a distinct apprehensive swing-over in Irish opinion against cutting the painter and losing the British market. They say that the Irish people are less concerned about the results of the present conference than with how soon Mr. De Valera will be forced to the.country. The conversations were confined to Mr. Thomas, Lord Hailsham, Mr. De Valera and Mr. J. Geoghegan, Minister of Justice. They lasted an hour. Mr. Thomas declared later: “If any statement is made wo are leaving it to Mr. De Valera, as we are his guests.”

Lord Hailsham and Mr. Thomas -were smiling as they left the building and they appeared pleased. The Free State High Commissioner

(Mr. J. W. Dulanty) and the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Dominions Office ('Sir Edward Harding) accompanied the British Ministers io Dublin.

STRICT SECRECY PRESERVED.

MR. THOMAS RETURNS TO LONDON

Rec. J a.m. London, June f s. {■Mr. Thomas sent a wireless, message to President De Valera from the steanfer thanking the Irish people for tlleir great hospitality. - ■ On. arrival at Euston station Mr. Thomas preserved the strictest secrecy. He declined to refer'to the negotiations, which iie will discuss with Cabinet later this morning. The atmosphere in Ireland is regarded as favourable. The Irish Press, including Mr. De Valera’s paper, accepted the announcement of the invitation with * readiness. which suggested that; they would welcome a settlement. The. Daily Herald congratulates the Free State Government on issuing the invitation and the British Government

for so readily'accepting it. ft is emphasised generally that, in undertaking the consultation the. British Government in no way varied its policy. The Times says: “There has never been any desire on the part of the British Government to exclude Mr.. De Valera’s colleagues from the Ottawa conference. That is not their business, but

the arrangements resulting from the conference must depend upon jthe confidence which its members repofte in one another, and clearly a sudden and oneaided abrogation of an important treaty could hardly be expected to en-courage-a repetition of the experiment. It is probably true to say that this attitude, in which Mr. Thomas has been absolutely firm and consistent, is endorsed by the whole House of Commons with ' a conviction that would be accorded to no other single item in the Government’s policy. There need be no fear of his abandoning it in his discussions with Mr. De Valera.” The Daily Telegraph, while emphasising that repudiation of agreements by one party against the protest of the

other, aiid without consultation, is in--1 tolerable in itself and a bar to the negotiation of any furthel- agreement, expresses the earnest hope that the present consultations will have good re-

suits. Mr. De Valera’s invitation, tho paper adds, is an earnest of goodwill which has been readily answered, and his willingness to continue the negotiations in London leads to the belief that he has no doubt of the spirit in which

he will bo met. The Manchester Guardian warmly welcomes Mr. De Valeras first step away from an impossible position, and says it is only proper that everything in Britain’s power should bo done to assist him. The refusal to discuss and negotiate on the oath question was his. Th© Irish refusal to enter into fiscal negotiations in preparation for the Ottawa conference was a corollary of his assertion of the right to interpret a point or instrument of a treaty as he pleased. After to-day’s meeting a statement was issued at Dublin: “Mr. Thomas and Lord Hailsham had an hour’s conversation with the President and the Minister of Justice this morning. There was a preliminary exchange of views, which will be followed by a discussion in London on Friday, as already arranged.” ■DESIRE TO REMOVE THE OATH, SUGGESTED INCLUSION OF ULSTER Rec. ,7.30 p.m. London, June'S. Thp Dublin correspondent of the Daily Herald says the Ministerial discussions were on general lines. Mr. De Valtira outlined his Government’s attitude on the oath, which he described as the source of .trouble in his country, and suggested its removal, while the ending of 'the partition by the incorporation of th© Ulster counties into the Free State

would do much to achieve lasting AngloIrish peace. . . An editorial on the negotiations in Mr. Do Valera’s newspaper, the Irish Press, says: “The Oath Removal Bill will become law, whatever efforts the Senate makes. As to the ii kl of discussion covering th© Anglo-Irish negotiations concerning the Ottaiva Conference, it is the whole community’s duty to strengthen the Government’s hands until the discussions arc successful. The whole British public will be behind their negotiators; let us stand behind ours.”