IRISH FREE STATE.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17982, 29 March 1930, Page 7

IRISH FREE STATE.

DE VALERA READY. WOULD ACCEPT PRESIDENCY. A PREGNANT SITUATION. Unit.cW Press Assn.—Elec. Tel.—Copyright. (Received March 29, 9.10 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 28. Mr De Valera, interviewed at Chicago to-day, said he would answer the call to the Presidency of the Free State If the Dali Eireann summoned him. He added : “If I were selected by the Dail I would form a Fianna Fall Government. It Is a situation offering many possibilities and interesting historically, even it marks the resignation of a party that so far has been working under the treaty. Our party has been endeavouring for some time to obtain a majority in the Dali to carry out Its declared policies.”

GOVERNMENT DEFEATED. BY 66 VOTES TO 64. CRISIS OVER PENSIONS BILL. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel.—Copyright. LONDON, March 28. The Irish Free State Government was defeated last evening in the Daii by 66 voles to 64. Tlie crisis arose over a private member's Old Age Pensions Bill introduced by the Republicans. t The Cabinet is considering the question ol' resigning. Twenty members of the Dail were absent when the critical vote was taken.

If Mr Cosgrave and his colleagues should resign the President probably he succeeded by Mr Eamotin de Valera, Leader of the Republicans, who is now on his way to Dublin from tlie United States.

The Cabinet of the Irish Free Stale is composed as follows :• —President, Mr W. T. Cosgrave; Vice-President, Finance, Posts and Telegraphs, Mr Ernest Blythe; Justice, .Mr J. Filzgcr-ald-Kenney; External Affairs, Industry and Commerce, Mr Patrick McGiiligan; Agriculture, Mr Patrick Hogan; Local Government and Public Health, Mr Richard Mulcahy; Defence, Air Desmond Fitzgerald; Lands and Fisheries, Mr Finian Lynch; Education, Mr John M. O'Sullivan; Attorney-General, Mr John A. Costello. Mr Cosgrave has been in office since December, 1922. THE GOVERNMENT RESIGNS. (Received March 29, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, March 28. The Irish Free Stale Government has resigned.