FREE STATE & EMPIRE

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19457, 22 December 1934, Page 7

FREE STATE & EMPIRE

CITIZENSHIP BILL. DISCUSSED IN THE LORDS. POSITION OF THE VICEROY. United Press Assn. —Elee. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, Dec. 20. In the House of- Lords to-day Lord Danesfort.called attention to the Irish Free State Government’s Citizenship Bill. He inquired whether the British Government had protested against it. Lord Danesfort said that no Parliament in the British Empire had ever proposed anything so preposterous. It would deprive men and women of the rights to British citizenship they had enjoyed for a lifetime.

This legislation was -only part and parcel of a 'deliberate attempt 'to establish an Irish Republic. A distresstog aspect ef 'this attempt was the degradation of the office of the GovernorGeneral, who, in Southern Ireland, had been degraded to the position of a clerk in 'the office.

The. Earl of Lucan, in replying for the Government, saidl nobody denied the Irish Free State’s right to declare who should he regarded as citizens of the Free State, but when it claimed that the recent bill was 'in accordance with the principles laid down at the Imperial Conference the British Government entirely disagreed. The statement -made in the House of Commons on November 27, said Lord Lucan, made the British position clear. If a Republic were -declared an entirely new situation would arise. He •could not indii'Cate the action the Government would then take. The British Government’s policy was to make it as easy as .possible for Ihe Free Stale to remain a member of the British Commonwealth. Under the Citizenship Bill the title ‘■British subject” is abolished -in favour ■of “citizen of the Irish Free State." Such citizen, however, will be entitled to claim the privileges of British 'Citizenship as long as the Free State is a member of the British Commonwealth.

. The hill adds that as long as Free State citizens enjoy privileges of British 'Citizenship outside the Free State, the Government in Dublin will undertake to provide all Empire citizens with similar privileges to the Free State. Amendments moved by Mr de yalera and adopted provide for the abolition of British nationality in the Irish Free State. They also permit the naturalisation of persons, their children and grandchildren, who have done signal honour and -given -distinguished service to the Free State.