HOME RULE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVLI, Issue 10, 6 September 1911, Page 7

HOME RULE.

WHAT DOES IRELAND WANT? A NEW ZEALANDERS’ IMPRESSION. LONDON, July 29. “I went to Ireland an ardent advocate of Home Rule. I’ve -come away not knowing exactly where 1 am, and not at all »ure that the majority of Irish people want it.” Thus Mr Wm. Davidson, the well known educationalist of Dunedin, to me on his return this week, after a lengthy trip to Ireland. Few New Zealanders have made Letter use of their holiday than Mr Davidson, who has spent a considerable space of time in the old cities of Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and France, as well ■as journeying through Scotland and England. His tour of Ireland was made for a reason for which not many tourists -would find leisure on a pleasure trip, viz., to investigate not only the desirability of Home Rule from his own point of view for the Irish, but their own ideas on the important subject. To do this effectively Mr Davidson mixed with all sorts and conditions of people in all sorts and conditions of ways, travelling first, second, and third class on the railways, stopping at good and at second-class hotels, and losing no opportunity of talking over the question with anyone interested.

His experiences, naturally, were varied. Some desired Home Rule ardently, some actually severance from England, and, startling though it sounds, a King of their own; many were indifferent, or prepared to follow wherever they were led; a great many appeared actually opposed to Home Rule and only too anxious to as they are to-day. “In Dublin there is no doubt as to the general wish,” Mr Davidson told me, “it is for Home Rule, and since Dublin would be the seat of government business men can see the many advantages that would accrue were the city strengthened in importance. On the other hand there is a large section of Irish people who told me quite frankly that England is doing mor£ fur them than they can hope to du for themselves. They recognise, tin

short, that she is doing a good deal more for Ireland than fur some of her other children, a state of things that they think Ireland should consider carefully before despising.”

On the question of education the New Zealander was, of course, in a position to be specially interested. ”1 had a conversation one day with a very sensible old peasant woman on the subject,”, he said, “and her views are prob ably more practical than those of a good many men who haven’t given much thought to the question. She had no doubt in her mind but that it was infinitely better that England be allowed a hand in the question of education. ‘l’ve got a girl at school,’ she told me, ‘that’s learning how to cut out her own clothes and make them up, to make butter, dress poultry, and rook, and all this at school, and it’s costing me nothing.’ This she attributed to England’s good management in the system of educatio n The very poor are much under the influence of the priests, and the priests are for Home Rule.”