COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 2 October 1919, Page 30

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

SELF-DETERMINATION FOR, IRELAND. : The following circular has been sent out in Queensland : As arrangements are' being made to convene a conference in Melbourne, under the presidency of his Grace Most Rev. Dr. Mannix, to present a united demand from the Irish of Australia for the freedom of Ireland, the time is opportune for the . Irish. of Queensland, to declare themselves on the subject. Your presence and support are therefore respectfully' invited at a public meeting which will be held on Monday September 8 next, at 8 p.m., in the Centennial Hall, at which the following resolutions will be submitted for : adoption : - "Whereas the Irish people, exercising their right of ' self-determination ' at the election of December last, constitutionally declared their adoption of an Irish Republic, "Bo it resolved—That we, Irish residents and descendants of the Irish race in Australia, in.public meeting assembled, hereby declare our united support of Ireland's' claim and our determination to aid in obtaining its fulfilment." "Resolved that an ' Ireland's Freedom Fund be, and is, hereby established, and that all moneys subscribed thereto be forwarded to the treasurer of the Dail Eireann." "That the foregoing resolutions be forwarded to the Irish, the Australian, and American press, and to President de Valera and President Wilson, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the U.5.A.." Feeling sure that you will support this effort to help Ireland at the present supreme crisis in her affairs, we remain, in Ireland's cause, on behalf of the Irish National Association and conveners,W. J. Fagan, President 1.N. A. ; Thos. Fitzgerald, Hon. Sec. 1.N. A.; Rev. James Gallagher, P.P.; D. M. O'Flynn. ~ INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL. At the recent National Federation Conference (says the Melbourne Tribune of September 11) a resolution was moved that the system of Initiative, Referendum and Recall be adopted on the party platform. After some discussion the "Recall" —the power to remove a member of Parliament from his office under certain conditionswas turned down, and the Initiative and Referendum adopted, except where the legislation affected the question of war. The adoption of this plank by the National Party means the delegation of legislative powers to the people and the control of the Parliamentary machine. For instance, the Initiative provides that a fixed proportion of the electors ■ say 15 or 20 per cent. will have the power to put a Bill before the whole of the electors, and if approved by a majority of them, must become law without hindrance by Parliament. The effect of this, it is claimed, will force Governments not to neglect the settlement of important issues. The Referendum secures to a majority of the electors the right to veto any Act passed by Parliament. A fixed proportion of the electors will have the power to compel the submission to the people's vote of any Bill passed by Parliament. This practically means that should a certain section, say, 20 per cent., believe that an Act adopted by Parliament is not in accord with the wishes of the people, that section will have the power to compel its submission to the people's vote. To those accustomed to the easy-going methods of our Australian Parliaments, the proposed reforms may appear very drastic and unworkable, but this is really not so. In Switzerland and America the Initiative and Referendum are operating with the most satisfactory results, and though of comparatively recent introduction into the latter country, the principle is being rapidly adopted in the various States. That the matter is occupying public thought in Australia is clear from the fact that the Queensland Parliament has placed it in the forefront of its platform for the coming general election. _________ i - BRISBANE IRISH NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. On Monday evening last (says the Catholic Advocate of September 11) the Centennial Hall was filled to overflowing on the occasion of a meeting convened by the Irish National Association to press for Ireland's right to independence. Mr. W. J. Fagan (president of the 1.N.A.), who was in the chair, said that as there was a suggestion that somebody might be penalised in connection with the meeting, he was prepared to take full responsibility for anything carried there. There were many eloquent speakers whom they had often heard before; but never with greater pleasure than they ■:- would hear ■ them that night, as they were on a subject that came straight from their hearts, and upon which there could' be no quibbling. The first "resolution would be proposed by Rev. Father O'Flynn, and then therer; was "a further L resolution to be proposed, establishing an Irish Freedom Fund, .as had

been done in all the cities, of the United States. "There is no intention on the part of the 1.N.A." said Mr. Fagan, to either try to collar this fund or this meeting. We nave simply tried to give the Irish people of Queensland an opportunity of leading,ln this matter, the same as they did in the Dublin Relief Fund of 1916. (Loud applause.) It is up to Queensland now to give the lead to Australia in supporting the Irish Republic. A conference representing all the Irish in Australia, and possibly in New Zealand, is to be held next month in Melbourne, 'under, the presidency of the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix. (Loud and. continued applause.) ■ Correspondence was read from—Rev. Father Molony, enclosing one guinea towards the fund; Rev. Father Fitzgerald, enclosing one guinea towards the fund; Mr. Gilmore, secretary Ipswich branch 1.N.A.; Mr. O'Donnell, Kingston; Chas. Kelly, Nanango; P. J. Costello, Wilson's Plains; Mr. Keating, Editor Catholic Advocate, enclosing one guinea; secretary 1.N.A., Ipswich; Mr. Wallace, P.D.P., H.A.C.8.5., Warwick; Mr Dryer, secretary 1.N.A., Sydney; Mr. John Kennedy, Chillagoe; Rev. John J. O'Connell, enclosing cheque for three guineas Rev. Wm. Byrne, enclosing cheque for two guineas; Rev. Father O'Rourke, enclosing" cheque for one guinea; Mr. P. W. Kelly, enclosing cheque for two guineas; Mr. J. Ryan, Murray's Creek, enclosing cheque for one guinea; Mr. Chas. Kelly, president Nanango Hibernians. Rev. Father M. J. O'Flynn (Administrator of St. Patrick's, Valley), who was greeted with deafening applause, proposed the first resolution: — "Whereas the Irish people, exercising their right of self-determination at the election of December last, constitutionally declared their adoption of an Irish Republic, be it resolved: That we, the Irish residents, descendants, and sympathisers of the Irish race in Queensland, in public meeting assembled, hereby declare our united support of Ireland's claim, and our determination to aid in obtaining its fulfilment." WELCOME TO MAJOR-CHAPLAIN CLUNE, M.C. The parishioners of St. Brigid's, Marrickville, Sydney, turned out en masse on Sunday, August 31, to welcome Major-Chaplain Francis Chine, M.C, just returned after four and a-half years' active service with the A.I.F. (says the Catholic Advocate of September 11). A presentation was made on behalf of the parishioners of a set of vestments and a travelling case. Father Chine was given a wonderful reception, and some time elapsed before he was able to speak. He said: — "Sectarianism has been rife. We know nothing about it in the army. We have it-in civil life. I boar witness to it; all the time I was in the army I never heard one word about this, nor was there any suspicion that such a thing existed. Those men who have spoken are not of my faith, and they have spoken of me because I never pass any of them over; I never single anybody out, and it is thus we lived. Sectarianism is a relic of savagery, and wo do not want to go back to savagery again; let it die out. I hope it will; as peace has been proclaimed, let us have peace in civil life." AUSTRALIA AND CONSCRIPTION. Our soldiers went to the other side of the world to fight against "Militarism" (says Australia). We were told that it was better to fight it as far away from home as possible, and thus prevent its entrance to our free country. Although the war has been won, we have not only failed to crush the evil, but are on the point of contracting the malady ourselves in its most violent form. General White has drafted a new scheme for the defence of Australia, in which ho advocates a system of concentrated training more closely resembling the Continental method. A further note of alarm was sounded when it was asked recently in the House of Representatives whether Australians were to be compelled to serve abroad, as was recommended by General White in a recent lecture. The Acting-Minister of Defence could not answer the question, but said that the Cabinet is now considering the matter of defence. Fortunately, it appears that economic considerations will prevent too great a development of the Military Machine, but there is no doubt that something is going to be done in the matter. We must wait till Mr.. Hughes has spoken before we know how we stand, but once the "oracle" has spoken,. Australia must take care, and at the next elections prevent the return to power of a Government which will enslave them as Germany was enslaved, with the yoke of Conscription. '^ i : : '-: i :.