Auckland Young Irish Party and Home Rule

New Zealand Tablet, 7 November 1912, Page 43

Auckland Young Irish Party and Home Rule

At a meeting of the Young Ireland Society, which was held the other evening (says the Auckland Star), the following resolutions were carried on the motion of Mr. J. J. Sullivan (president of the society),. seconded by Mr. H. W. Wnitty: (1) That the New Zealand Parliament present a petition to his Majesty y the King, that a constitution, as outlined in the Irish Home Rule Bill now before the Imperial Parliament, be granted to Ireland; that New Zealand asks it through ner representatives, and never has a request more clear, more consistent, and more continuous been made by any nation; as subjects of his Majesty we are interested in the peace ana contentment of all parts of the Empire, and consequently desire, to see this long-standing grievance at the heart of the Empire removed. (2) That we ask the Right Hon. the Prime Minister of New Zealand (Mr. W. F. Massey) to submit this to the House of Representatives before the session closes, and to ask the leaders and members of all parties to support it. (3) That as practically all the members of the New Zealand House of Representatives have already expressed their-approval individually, no objection to the motion being put through before the House rises can reasonably be raised.' •■ Mr. Sullivan, in support of his motion, said that every self-governing Dominion in the Empire, through its Parliament, had passed a similar resolution. Practically all New Zealand's Parliamentary representatives had individually expressed themselves in favor of the principle of Irish national self-government. It - might be said that New Zealand had no right to meddle in matters of Imperial concern, but he recalled the comment of Mr. Lyttelton, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, when the New Zealand Parliament passed a resolution relating to the introduction of Chinese into South Africa. Mr. Lyttelton had then said: ( I fully recognise the right of all the self-governing colonies to explain their opinion on so important a question, and especially of those who, like New Zealand, had rendered memorable service in the South African war.'

A resolution was also passed congratulating... his Lordship Bishop Cleary on the able and patriotic manner in which he had exposed the attempts of the National Board of Education to kill the spirit of patriotism in Ireland. .... [On Friday afternoon in the House of Representatives Mr. Myers stated that he had received a communication from the Young Ireland Party in Auckland asking that the New Zealand Parliament should pass a resolution in favor of Home Rule for Ireland. The Prime Minister replied that he. could not see his way to ask Parliament to interfere in the question.]