HOME RULE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7595, 23 July 1914, Page 3

HOME RULE.

THE i vI N H’1 ) -VI.’E Jv E N C I ■

LONDON, Only 22. Tim House of Commons was crowded lo hear tin; .Ministerial statement. The Prime Minister said hi; was authorised by the Kina 1 1 , stale that in vie"' ol the grav,. sit nation, His Majesty tlioUahl it right to the representatives of all parties to a eonfei’emv at Buckingham I’alaee with the olijeei of discussing outstanding questions relalina to tin- (loverunient of Ireland.

The right rrpresrii Ia 11 vrs as previously cabled accepted the invitations as Royal Commands, The Speaker will preside. The proceedings begin t o-morrow.

.ML liedmond said, “My colleagues ami mvself accept no responsibility for calling (his convention. Ido not. think wr are called upon to express an opinion whether lh ( . result will be successful or (he conirarv.” There was a hubbub when Air L. GinneD, .Independent. Nationalist ALP. for Westmeath, asked ifco Prime Minis ler what precedent authority be bad for advising (he King to place himself nt the head of a conspiracy (<> defeat llie House of,Commons decision. Afr Asquith did not reply.

The leaders of the Labour Party bitterly condemn the conference. (Tic Labour Party at a meeting 'carried a resolution protesting against the King summoning Hie conference, and requested Air Asquith to forward Hie resolution to the King, Alan\- Liberals are very critical, fearing that jthc conference will be made a precedent. They expect the conference to fail : (hat Hie Home Buie -Amending Bill will be withdrawn and Hint there will be an appeal to the constituencies in October. EXPLANATION IN THE LORDS. In the House of (.'ominous, replying to Lord Courtney, the Marquis of Crewe ufhrmed that thai conference was no abrogation of Ministerial rosponsiIjility, and that there was no intention to supersede parliamentary authority. Alii asquith: .displeased. Air Asquith, in Ids statement in the Jloush, expressed regret at the anticipation of news of the conference in the Press. The House had the lirsl i-ight lo hear of it ; and the Labour Party’s resolution in regard lo the conference was an undue interference of the parly with the (Town, and was calculated lo defeat the, purposes of (he Parliament Act. He also expressed surprise that two of tjie representatives were practically rebels tinder arms, an indication that iu future the organisation of force is to be oflicially considered- .-(ho most effective in industrial asv well as in political disputes.

PARTY VIHWiS. A meeting of Radical Comnioncrs is summoned for to-day to survey the now situation. It is regarded as a possible nucleus for a new “cave.” Some Hist er Commoners regard- the conference as a Government device to gain time, and declare that the Government is (hrowing upon the King the responsibility which the Constitution re<|iiircs them to bear.