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Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14361, 12 May 1920, Page 5

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HOME RULE BILL m DISCUSSION IN~ PARLIAMENT, MR ASQUITH'S AMENDMENT. ' DEFEATED BY BIG MAJORITY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received May it, 12.10 a.m. LONDON, May 10. „ The House of Commons has entered on the committee- state on the Home Rule Bill. Before the discussions opened* the chairman ruled out a number of amendments embodying alternative schemes as equivalent to negatives of the -bill, but permitted Mr Asquith to move an amendment providing for a single Irish Parliament, with ceunty option for UlsLer for a .limited period of six years on the lines of the 1014 Act. Mr Asquith maintained that the duplication of Parliaments, executives, and judiciaries gave every opportunity for friction. The Government plan was not countenanced by any section of Irish opinion, and would not be 'a stepping stone to Irish unity., Mr Bonar Law emphatically asserted that Mr Asquith did not re Rise all that had happened during the last six years. While it was true that the Irish members had nut voted on the" Govern-, ment's bill it was equally true that thVy would have opposed Mr Asquith's proposal. Ulster's attitude was an immense advance on '1914. Whereas Ulster then insisted on exclusion it now accepted local government for the whole of Ireland. Mr Bonar Law stressed the exten#to which the move- " ment had suffered from uninformed foreign and Dominion comment, Which asked,. "Why not let Ireland govern herself?" If the Government's proposar were adopted we could say to Irelana and the world- we have given you as generous a measure of local government as we think possible on conditions which mean that the moment Irishmen can agree among themselves they can have it completely in one Parliament. The Government's object was to make unity easier. Sir Edward Carson regarded the six years' proposal as retrograde and impracticable. Although he detested the idea of breaking up the Parliament of the" United. Kingdom, he pledged himself in the interests of an attempt at peace that Ulster would do its best-to work its Parliament if enacted. Mr Asquith's amendment was defeated by 259 to 55.