IRISH SELF-DETERMINATION

New Zealand Tablet, 17 March 1921, Page 35

IRISH SELF-DETERMINATION

At a meeting of the Akaroa branch of the Catholic Federation, held on March 6, in connection with the St. Patrick's Day celebration, the following resolution was unanimously passed : —"ResolvedThat we, the members of the Akaroa branch of the N.Z.C.F., view with horror the outrages committed by the armed forces of the Crown in Ireland, including the murder of women, children, Catholic clergymen, and unarmed civilians, as well as the destruction of property to the value of millions sterling. While condemning -crime, by whomsoever committed, we call attention to the fact that prior to the present policy of terrorism being adop-

ted, Ireland was admittedly crimeless, and we hold the British Cabinet answerable for all the blood that has been shed in Ireland by the hands of civilians, as' well as by its own servants. As citizens of this free country we demand that the Dominion Government dissociate itself from this policy of "frightfulness," and that, it bring strong pressure to bear upon the Imperial authorities for a reversion to civilised methods of dealing with the people of Ireland. We would remind both the Home and Dominion Governments that many gallant Irish soldiers shed their blood in the recent war to end abroad just such savagery as now oppressed their own Homeland. These men were deluded. by the promise that the principle of "self-determination" should be applied to their own land as well as to the lands for which they fought. We demand that this promise of the British Government made to Irish recruits during the war be at once carried out in the fuuest measure; and we express the belief that the present disorders, provoked by the presence of large bodies of armed forces; will cease as soon as those forces have been withdrawn.

"That copies be sent to the Prime Minister, to the M.P. for this district, to the N.Z. Tablet, and to the local press."