HOME RULE FOR SCOTLAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1434, 8 May 1912, Page 4

HOME RULE FOR SCOTLAND.

Sir.—Oil reading your. remarks. to-day on the attitude, uf Scotland towards Scot - lish Homo ifnlo, anyone not conversant with Home politics would imagine liial litlli' or nothing 'had boon. heard of dsn subject .since the discussion on Captain Piiio's Bill last yi-ar. Von. ignore Dr. Chappie's important resolution,which was carried by the hamUome majority of 98 in a Hou=c of Hfji mersibors only two month* a so. This resolution read: "That in the opinion of 'hi- House any measure prfiviilins for the delegnli.u: of Pnrli.v meiilai'v power-. l» Irclainl should In- Jullowed in Vni- Parliament, by the granting ,i\ -imil.v. power- cf self-srovernmenS In Scotland, a- yiiit'of a general t r :hemc of devolution." .You. s.tuln that. on..(hi* occasion you arc not dealing with the'merits

iif llii', i|iii's|ioi!, so there is no need to refer here (•> Ilii; ninny convincing arguments ii.-iil liy Dr. Chappie una other Liberal numbers in favour of it, i>r to lla? IV"'liir -Jseeches ill' the 0()[l')- iI toll member-' again-f it. Vim as-.ert lliiif Scottish llonie liule "is lint: Ihe product of a society, and II rather obscure society ill. that," but ii' you had glanccd over tliu debate on J)r. (.'ha pple's motion you would have noted .Mr. Kugeiio Wason's reminder to tin- llou-i; ut llic motion passed liv it twenty vein's ago in favour of Homo Rule for'Scolland. f lioubt if tin;• Viiiniit Scots Society was even thought of dicn, lint .-incn ilnit; resolution was ])!■ --ell the ipiest ion, as .Mr. Wn-011 pointed mil, has hci-it gaining strength year by year, n.ml doubtless the ellorts of the society in recent years have lioii a great ileal in do with liiis success. The wliolu of the Scottish Liberal members arc in favour of it, inid although it is the fashion ni pre-ent for .Scottish Conservative members to ridicule tin; Young Scots, it will be no surprise when the next general election occurs to fiiul these same penilemen nnxioti-iy seeking (in support of the Vim in; Scots Society, and ready to concede 'Scottish Home Itule as part of the scheme of devolution which is to relievo Ihe overburdened Imperial Parliament. When you iiml iinn; to write 011 the merits of the ijuestion, I hojie your treatment of it will show more sympathy than that indicated in your references to tho progress and prospects of tin; movement. —I am, clc., .(. 0. KKICJI. Wellington, .April 27, 1011