IRELAND'S POWERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16748, 1 June 1922, Page 9

IRELAND'S POWERS.

BRITAIN RESERVES LIBERTY OF

ACTION.

IF treaty is not signed.

NO DEVIATION TO BE ALLOWED,

Uy Tolegrraph—Proas Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

(Received June 1, 9.15 a.m.)

LONDON, May 31. In the Hon so of Commons Mr Winston Churchill said that no one disputed the fact that the wish of the Irish people was for reconciliation, which would give her freedom and a place ill the world Up to ton days ago the leaders of the Provisional Government .appeared to have resolved to inarch steadily forward through a free election, and to do their best to put down, if n-ecessarv by force, all armed rer so ns who tried to prevent this, hut the recent agreement had struck directly at the provisions of the treaty. The consequences of the Oollins-de Valera

agreement were very serious. It seemed probable that the Irish people would not be able to give free expression to their views if Mr do Valera or other Ministers refused to sign the delegation prescribed in the I/ondon treaty. It would break the treaty, and the Imperial Government reserved to itself liberty of action in regard to the resumption of tho powers transferred to the Irish Government or the reoocupation of any territory which they might think appropriate and proportionate to the gravity of the breach. The Imperial Government would allow' of no deviation from tho strict letter and soirit of tho treaty. Tho Collins—de Valera agreement rendered the hope of co-operation between North and l driven the parties further apart than ! they ever were before. VIOLATION OF ULSTER. Mr Churchill said that he stood that day in the presence of a very grave incident. Two townships on the fron- « tier had been occupied by Republican troops. Messrs Collins and Griffith j had repudiated their action very i strongly. He asked the House not | to press him as to the measures which , had been taken to deal with this viola- i tion of the Northern Territory. The British signatories had an oppor- J tunity of examining the constitution of J the Irish Free State, continued Mr : Churchill. Their examination at this | stage was confidential, but after Whit- j suntide the House would be in a posi- j tion to take a more searching view of tho situation than was possible at the present time. If the treaty were broken by anv act, if the election were nob a reasonable one or did not have effective validity, and if the constitution as it emerged from the Provisional Parliament were so amended as not to fulfil the treaty, then the Imperial Government would be perfectly free to withhold it« consent. He did 7iot believe that the members of the Provisional Government were acting in bad faith, or that they were working hand in glove with their Republican opponents with tho intent, by an act of treachery, to betray British confidence or Ireland’s good name*. Mr Asquith (Liberal leader) said that he bad listened with unqualified admiration to Mr Churchill’s statejnent. The situation was very disquieting. Only by forbearance and faith could thev arrive at a solution. “ A FAIR STATEMENT.” Messrs Collins and Griffith, who listened to the statement in the House, said, in an interview, that Mr Churchill had given & fair statement of the position. ELECTION CANDIDATES. By Telegraph—Presa Association—Copyrigh* ! Renter's Telegrams. (Received June 1, noon. LONDON, May 31. The Irish election promises to be most interesting. Business and professional men in Dublin have formed an election committee for the purpose of nominating candidates in the commercial and professional interests. Labour, farmers’, and ratepayers’ candidates are also in the field. —- ~