THE PREMIER'S REPLY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11567, 16 January 1913, Page 5

THE PREMIER'S REPLY.

IN EVITABLE REALITY

(Received Thursday, at 11.05 a.im) LONDON, Wednesday.

The Premier (Right Hon. 11. 11. Asquith), replying, said Mr Balfour had conveniently ignored the fact that the Irish movement had passed from sentiment and effort to organised, practical, and inevitable reality. If the bill were rejected, the insistent demand would remain uudiminished as the permanent expression of the vast majority's will. Apparently the only people who were not dupes were Mr Balfour and his friends, who were just now going through their own experience of the science of political union. (Laughter). Given perversity on the one side and pedantry on the other any constitution could be wrecked in a week. Apart from the ample safeguards contained in the Bill two would operate most strongly, namely, interest and commonsense. Mr Balfour's prediction of disaster was a. repetition similar to that preceding the granting of self-Govornmont to the Transvaal. He was convinced that the Bill would exorcise the baneful influence hitherto keeping Britain and Ireland apart and establish permanent unity.