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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 50, 28 December 1922, Page 31

The Irish Settlement

• Directly the news arrived of the Irish'settlement, steps were taken to convene a meeting of the National Executive of the Self-Determination League of New Zealand. Accordingly the executive met on Thursday evening, ( and subsequently the president, Mr. P. J. O’Regan, made the following statement;

We rejoice most heartily at the great reconciliation between the two nations. On the terms of the Treaty we have no comment to offer. It is enough for us that they have been accepted by the chosen representatives of the people of Ireland, inasmuch as we have complete confidence in the courage .and capacity of the men in whom the nation * has repeatedly and emphatically declared its trust. The result is a complete answer to Ireland’s defamers and a lasting vindication of her persistence in maintaining through eight centuries a continuous and wearied. struggle. Britain has now given her unreserved approval of the cause which has inspired Ireland’s martyred dead, in defence of which her sons, even in our day, have willingly laid down -their lives.

We would point out that the Treaty now arrived at goes much further than the measure of self-government which a few years since was met with threats of armed resistance. Assuredly it must be regarded as a matter for deep regret that the bloodshed and ill-will incurred since that time might easily have been averted. , - Now that, responding to the deep-seated desire of the people of Britain, the British . Government has met the national aspirations of the people of Ireland, we feel assured that the two nations will henceforth give the world a continuous and conspicuous example of brotherhood and goodwill. _ Accordingly, we join, with the rest of our fellow citizens in rejoicing at the conclusion of the historic struggle. We propose at an early date to afford an opportunity to the friends of Ireland in this country suitably to commemorate the great, event.