HOUSE DIVIDES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2118, 8 April 1914, Page 7

HOUSE DIVIDES

ON HOME RULE BILL GOVERNMENT MAJORITY REDUCED PLEA FOR EXCLUSION OF ULSTER MR, REDMOND OBDURATE By Teleeraph—Press Association—Copyright (Eec. April 1, 10.20 p.m.) London, April 7. The debate on tho second rending of tho Home Rule Bill was conducted in the House- of Commons ta-day 3 when tho division, was taken. Mr. Redmond Insistent. Mr John Redmond, the Nationalist Loader, said that Sir Edward Carson had not mado. a step towards compromise. ■ The talk of federalism was misleading and mischievous. He (the speaker) sympathised with federalism, but as a solution of the tJl&toir difficulty it would bo necessary to be more precise. The House- Owed a duty to Ireland to pass the Bill. Ho was uu> deterred by the threats of resistatu,..; Sir Edward Carson (leader el" 'Ihe Ulster Unionists) said that aftei 'tho Government's attempt at a military add naval revolution, he was sceptical regarding its conciliation professions, $ho only solution was to exolusSs Ulster until her consent had been won.* , Tho question of federalisnl did n©t prejudice the question as to whether Ireland should be one unit or two. Mr. Redmond said that the Nationalists would not listen to any suggestion that Ulster should be excluded tmtil a. federal scheme had been completely worked out. Sir John Simo» (Attemey-Gotteral) said that the exclusion offer would remain open to the latest possible date. Exclusion would prevent a leap ift the dark. The essence of the Government's view was that Home Rule meant Irish unity. Only Two Ways Out, Mr. Bonar Law (Leader of the Opposition) declared that the two ways by which to avert a calamity were tho exclusion of Ulster, or an appeal to the country.. The ' Government's bargain with tho Nationalists baisred either solution. If Sir Edward Grey's proposal to renew tho conversations were formally mado the Opposition wuld accept it, but these convorsatieii.** , . Vould be useless if Mr. Redmqijd vetoed every proposal put by the Opposition. Continuing, Mr. Boiiftr Law said that after a consultation witli liord. Laasdowne (Unionist Leader in the Haas© of Lords) lie had offered that if the Government put in new.proposals, and the Bill was carried through the House of Commons, and obtained the support of tho people, "then, so far as Lord. Lansdoivno is able to speak for tlie House of Lords, we will allow tho Goyernnient to place the Bill on the Statute Book without change or delay, and without depriving the Government of any of »ho privileges enjoyed by it under the Parliament Act. Tho Opposition Would e-fen ■ welcome tho temporary fischisi-oft of Ulster by .county option, if tho proposition is-submitted to' the House in. a form that it can bo discussed." Tfee time-limit, he added, was so 'inherently unjust ■ and absurd that ■it would not stand discussion oven in tfe .nresentHou§e of Commons"Freo Trade In Bloat!.' 1 ; Mr. Healy (Independent Natiraalist) I said that the next ■ election would be fought on the Ulster, auestira. The ap- : peal to tho electorate would bs: "Will you allow the Free-traders to have free trade in blood?" It would have been better for Ireland if tt© Conservatives had been in office for the past oight 'years. ■ Mr. Augustine BirreJl ((Mel Sefir*- ' tary for Ireland) said that he doddered I at tho very thought of civil war. Ho | did not ignore the courage and deter-' ] mination of TJletei , , or their passionate hatred of the Roman Catholics, but it took two to make a quarrel. " Ulster must be won, and her unwillingness] could notbe conquered by force. While ,not shutting the door to any settlement, and whilo not insisting on file proposals in their present form, it was at the same ' time idle for the Government to parley forever with threats of force. The Houso Divides, The voting in tlie division resulted :•=- Coalition (Government forces) 356 Unionist (Opposition) » SfG Coalition majority go The Unionists cheered tho announce- ] ment of the figures. ' Mr. Agar-Robartes (Liberal member for Bodmin, Cornwall) yoted against tho Government. Tho O'Brienites and Mi-, D. V. iPirie (Liboral member for Nwta Aberdeen) abstained from voting. Seven Liberals were uflaMe to secure pairs. Sir Edward Groy and Mr. JJovd George paired. " .. The voters included Mr. Samuel Young (Nationalist member for East i Cavan), who is 93 ytears of age, J Mr. Reginald "M'Kenna-, Homo Seer-e----tary, in reply to tbe suggestion made by Lord Hugh Cecil (Uitkmist) on Thursday last, to refer the Homo Rule Bill to a Select Committee- of thirty members to frame suggestions for the exclusion, for tho whole or part of ..'Ulster, said that at present the Government did not think a Select Committee the best method of dealing with -fciio Home Rule Bill. : ] ULSTER EY'ELEGTiON, tontlori, April 6. Mr. Crawford (Unionist) has been elected for the Belfast East seat, unopposed, vico Mr. R, J. M'Mwdie (Unionist), deceased. WAR MATERIAL FROM NORTH . SEA T&AWLEES. London* April 6. I It is stated that a quantity of war] material has boon laisded on the North j Antrim and South Down coasts from North Sea trawlers. wellington7ri.sh.men. Irishmen in Wellington have sent the following cablegram to Sir. Joseph Devlin, M.P. for West Belfast, in connection with his recent reply to Sir Ed* ward Carson in the House of Commons: "Devlin, M.P., House, of Commons, London.—Well done. Irishmen hero o,n» dorse your sentiments. Publish—use open letter to Carson dated February 15, copy of which* was sent to Redmond."