NORTHERN IRELAND.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18877, 22 February 1933, Page 9

NORTHERN IRELAND.

LOYALTY TO BRITAIN. FREE STATE POLITICS. VISITOR’S SURVEY. The loyalty of Northern Ireland to the United Kingdom and the British Empire was emphasised by Sir Hugh O’Neil, Unionist M.P. for County Antrim in the British House of Commons, who arrived at Wellington by the Wanganella, accompanied by Lady O’Neil, on a visit to Hie Dominion. Northern Ireland, he said, was most strongly attached to the United Kingdom, and nothing would ever cause it to throw in its lot with the Irish Free Stale. Sir Hugh O'Neill was the first Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, and held that oillce from IH2i to 11)2!), when he resigned the position to represent County Antrim in the British House of Commons. He is chairman of directors on the London Board pf the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, Ltd., and lias been in Australia on business during the past few months. Questioned regarding the political position in Ireland, Sir Hugh said that 6ver since the. separation, which look place in ID2U, the tendency had been more and more to convince the people

of Northern Ireland that they were right In their attitude, and everything had gone to prove what they had always contended, that government In the Irish Free State would always be carried on in hostility to Britain. The economic policy, too, had drawn Northern Ireland much closer to Britain and further from the Irish Free State. It seemod quiet likely, Sir Hugh considered, that a republio would be declared in the Irish Free State, but it would have no effect whatever on the north. Hopeless Position. * After referring to the dispute over Hie payment of land annuities to Britain, Sir Hugh expressed the opinion that the farmers in the Irish Free Stale must be nearly ruined as a result. Mr Cosgrave bad carried on a reasonable, sane kind of Government, and he bad been faithful to his obligations and observed the treaty scrupulously. “Altogether the country was being reasonably well governed; now it is hopeless.’’ Speaking of the depressed state of the linen and shipbuilding industries in Northern Ireland, Sir Hugh recalled that the Wanganella had been built at Belfast. So far as he could gather there was not much change for I lie better at Home. Agriculture was very depressed, and so was industry generally. In Australia, however, there were signs of improvement, but he could not say whether it would be a permanent improvement. One of the indications of.an upward trend was Hie Christrnas shopping turnover in Melbourne, .which was the best re-

corded for many years. People there were definitely of the opinion that there was more money In circulation. Exchange and Cost of Living. Sir Hugh expressed the opinion that the New Zealand Government had acted wisely In Increasing the exchange rate. It would mean, of course, that more would be required to pay the interest on external debts, bht, on the other hand, it seemed to him that in a country like New Zealand, devoted mainly to primary producing, the higher rate would lead to the farmers reoelvlng more for their products. That, he considered would more than offset the extra amount to ho paid In London. The record majority gained by the Coalition Government at Homo at tue last election made its position at the moment absolutely Impregnable, Sir Hugh added, and recent by-elections were proving that it still had the confidence of the country. Sir Hugh and Lady O’Neill intend to stay about three weeks in the Dominion. They are the guests of Lord 'Bledisloe and Lady Bledisloe at Government House.