IRELAND FREE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 5, 1 February 1923, Page 39

IRELAND FREE

' . On Tuesday night (says the London Catholic Times for December 9) the Royal assent to the Irish Free State Constitution Act and the complementary Consequential Provisions Act. was notified by Royal Commission in the House of Lords. Thus Ireland became a Dominion. It was officially announced by the Colonial Office that the King had been pleased to approve the appointment of Mr. Timothy Michael Healy, K.C., as Governor-General-designate of the Irish Free State The Provisional Government, to whom the full administration of the country had already been handed over by Order-in-Council, was on Wednesday invested with full constitutional authority.

On Wednesday afternoon the King issued the formal proclamation which marks the completion of the change in Ireland’s status.

The Free State Parliament, still to be known as the Dail, met on Wednesday to elect its Speaker, to take the' oath, and to elect the President and the Executive Council (or Cabinet).

Swearing In of Governor-General.

Mr. Tim Healy, K.C., was sworn in on Wednesday afternoon as Governor-General at his private house, Glenaulin, Chapeiizod, on the outskirts of Dublin, the ceremony taking place in the presence of a company who included, all the chief officers of the new State, civil and military. Mr. Cosgrave and all the members of the Ministry were present. The oath was administered by the Lord Chief Justice, and the GovernoivGeneral afterwards administered the oath to the Speaker of Dail Eireann. The Dail assembled at five o’clock in the evening for the swearing in of the members, the. election of Speaker, and so on. The most, elaborate precautions were taken to prevent the admission of unauthorised persons.

Amongst the messages of congratulation received by the new Governor-General was a cordial one from Canon Barry, of Leamington.

President’s High Hopes.

President Cosgrave, who was accompanied by General Mulcahy, arrived at Holyhead from Kingstown on Monday for the purpose of meeting Mr. T. M. Healy, who was travelling to Dublin after visiting London in connection with the Governor-Generalship of the Irish Free StSate.

President Cosgrave warmly congratulated Mr. Healy, and returned with him to Dublin on Tuesday morning.

President Cosgrave said the situation was well in hand, and he had high hopes that the end of their troubles was in sight. The union of the North and South could not bo long delayed, for the line which divided them was an unnatural one. Mr. Healy’s appointment was undoubtedly popular among all classes. * He hoped this would mark the turning-point in Ireland’s long and chequered career. The execution of Mr. Childers had been received with calmness and fortitude. He was confident that the condition of Ireland was rapidly improving, and this was borne out by the large increase in exports for this year compared with last year’s returns. The country would quickly recover (ho said) and trade and industry would speedily revive. CARDINAL LOGUE ON THE FUTURE OF THE NEW STATE. ’ Wednesday’s Irish Times published interviews with » number of leading Irishmen on the future of the new Irish State. Cardinal Logue says: “By the new Constitution the way is left open to future progress and prosperity, but I am convinced that that progress and prosperity will never be realised to the full extent till peace is established and without the union of Irishmen" of every class, creed, and political affiliation to work together cordially for the good of the country. While partition remains as an open sore it is hard to expect peace and cordial co-operation for the general welfare of the country. With a tariff line drawn across our little island I don’t see how trade can flourish. Internal trade certainly cannot flourish, and external trade also will be seriously affected. The resources of the country will be wasted on the expense of a double government, and, what a double government must necessarily involve, a double set of jobs.” ' MR. HEALY INTERVIEWED. “I think,” said Mr. Healy to an interviewer on Tuesday, “you are entitled to say that we have been given a measure of freedom as large as that enjoyed by any of the States in the American Union. In some respects the powers seem larger, as when the American. Constitution was established the individual States surrendered certain attributes

of sovereignty to the General Federal Government. The blot on the position consists in the separation of the six counties from the rest of the country, but I have the highest hopes that in time the feelings of the North and South will undergo a change; and, while we cannot expect everything at a bound, there are so many ties which link the interests and fortunes of the North and ourselves together that we may reasonably expect that by mutual concessions in the course of a few years some amalgamation may. be discovered under which complete reunification may take place.” '

Having expressed these hopes, Mr. Healy went on: “Already, I am informed, and I think it a good omen, that the attempt which was made to separate the Protestant Church body in the North from the rest of Ireland was defeated in the General Synod. I had complete proof -of the good will of the Northern members yesterday when Sir Charles Craig, brother of Sir James Craig, Mr. Archdale (Minister of Agriculture in the Northern Government), Captain Dixon, M.P., and Mr. McConnell, M.P., joined the Southern representatives of the cattle industry in coming to me to make representations to the Imperial Government against imposing on Ireland the six days’ quarantine intended for Canadian cattle. Sir Charles Craig and I visited the Duke of Devonshire at the Colonial Office, and the chairman of the Ulster Part}' was most handsome in his cordiality to myself.”

“Of course,” said Mr. Healy, “I have not yet had any insight into the official working or aspect of the Irish Government. Since the Treaty was signed a year ago that work has been carried on by very competent men, arid it as a delight to me to be met in Holyhead this morning by President Cosgrave and some of his colleagues to bid me welcome to Ireland.”

Mr. Healy beamed with pleasure as he went on: • j. “Me were a very joyous company, and, while we feel intensely the sorrows and sufferings which have accompanied the rebirth of the Irish nation, I think the civic courage displayed by those who have taken the matter in hand is the best proof that nothin* which public virtue and private worth can accomplish will be lacking in alleviating strife and composing the anxieties of the people.” An Appeal to America. ext H Governor-General made an appeal to America. ." e would ask the American public.” he said, “to give the new Government moral support, and, at any rate, not to give its enemies financial support.” He recalled that 41 rears ago he visited nearly, every State in the Union seeking Irish and American sympathy in the land struggle. Hie sustentation they then received had much to do with planting the Irish tenantry as freeholders on the soil liberated from what Mr. Balfour himself admitted-was the most odious and impossible system of land tenure which ever cursed agriculture. “Now,” he continued, “as the opponents of the Free .State have no policy or panacea save the wrecking of railways and breaking down of canal banks, or burning of houses, and ambushing of troops, and the laying of mines TTrL A ™ eriCa i! 1 ' ISh • So,Kjs lnoney here to injure the Free State should open his eyes to the nature of the campaign which he is consenting to keep up.. There are of course, impatient men in every age and land, but they rin-rSo"., the sl °"’ grmvth ° f refonn in phase “It took two centuries here to end penal laws; it took three centuries to undo the work of confiscation and Groinwelliamsm; it took centuries to acquire manhood suffrage now to be followed here for the first time by universal woman suffrage; and the only limit which the people of the Tree State are to be afflicted with is one to be appointed wdl a elect ” ament WhlCl every Irishman and Irishwoman

T asked Mr. Healy’s position regarding Bills in Parliament. He replied : As I understand it, the duty of the Governor-General in regard to Bills will he to scan them carefully to see there is no .infraction of the Constitution on the one side and of the Treaty on the other. I take if such were observed by his technical advisers he would bring the fact to the notice of the Irish Prime Minister As I understand it I shall represent, the Imoeriaf Goveral ment so that no infraction, of the Treaty or Constitntfon is to take place, and I shall represent the Irish Governstitntiona^directior»s! « " fcirs - their coL was fc OTe „ orderS fr ° m the Irkh Government?" “My view is.’’ replied Mr. Healv, “that one is nreftv much in the position of Canadian Governor-Genial He communicates with the Cabinet, and they with hi™ the mindVM" aI interchange ° f ° *“* •*£ f A pleasant interview then preceded-on; these lines: A Question Mill there he any Viceregal state? hope . ..■•.vtVA'oy Court?—T)iat is the last thing I should think of ; yo« will stilt he Mr. Tim Healv? I hnno cn. + ‘ friends, at all eveftts (with a chuckle). P ‘ ’ ... n '.V