DEBATE ON IRISH BILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16662, 18 February 1922, Page 9

DEBATE ON IRISH BILL.

“ DIE-HARDS’ M AMENDMENT REJECTED. CONCLUDING SPEECHES. By Telegraph—Preea Aaeootntton— Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received February 18, 9.30 a.to.) LONDON. February 17. Tn the House of Commons Sir L. Worthington Evans (Secretary for War), resumed the debate on the Irish Free State Agreement Bill. He denied that the bargain made under the 1920 Act had been, broken. On the contrary. T'leteVs position under the Act had boon maintained. He submitted, concerning the boundary question, that it could not be called coercion to consult the wishes of the inhabitantaThere should be give and take along the boundary. That should bo something Ulster should welcome. The acceptance of Captain Craig s amendment would mean the rejection of the Treaty and the betrayal of the Irishmen who had signed it, as well as peace in Ireland. Lord Hugh Cecil said he thought the Bill should he rejected. It was not «. proper method of carrying out the Treaty. It was the Government's duty to maintain order until the new constitution was framed, 6o as to avoid the dreadful interregnum during which there would be no Government in Ireland at all. He considered that an interpretation of the boundaries should be contained in the Bill. Tho Government was in the astounding position that it. rested with the Boundary Commissioner to decide whether it would break faith with the Ulster Government. They were looking on in a state of interested curiosity to see whether the Government was composed of cheats and liars or not. Me Asquith spoke for a few moments. Ho -aid he hoped that tho House, by a significant majority, would pass the Bill in the briefest possible time. He urged the Government not to recede from tho terms of tho Treaty on the boundary question, which was an integral part of the Treaty. Mr J. If. Thomas, on behalf of the Labour Party, urged the adoption of tho Bill. Ho said the chief difficulty confronting Mr Arthur Griffith and Mr Michael Collins was not Mr do Valera’s followers but the advocates of a fcioviet republic. Captain Craig's amendment was rejected by 302 votes to eighty. The Bill was read a second time and referred to a commute© of the whole House. (Captain Craig moved that the House do not proceed with the Bill until the Government gave an assurance that no decision of the Boundary Commission would take effect without the approval of the Northern Parliament.)