THE CONVENTION'S REPORT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 176, 15 April 1918, Page 5

THE CONVENTION'S REPORT

CHAIRMAN SUMMARISES THE POSITION FULL AGREEMENT IMPOSSIBLE. POINTS OF DIFFERENCE EXPLAINED. (Roe. April U, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 13. The report of tho Irish Convention has been issued. A covering letter by the chairman, Sir Horace Plunkett, to Mr. Lloyd George summarises the mam points. Sir Horaco Plunkett says that while it was found impossible to overcome tho 'objections of the Ulster Unionists, tho following parties were agreed that a scheme of self-government should be passed, namely, a majority of the Nationalists, all tho.southern Unionise, and fivo out of seven Labour representatives. A minority nationalist scheme differed-only in one particular from the majority scheme.' Therefore the convention had laid the foundation of an Irish agreement unprecedented in history. The Majority Report.. Thb Convention explored every possibility of agreement, and after sitting eight months decided to issue a report which should be a mere narrative of the Convention's proceedings. This report was adopted by a majority, but there was no majority report, in. 'the sense, or n reasoned statement in. favour of conclusions wherein the majority agreed. However, the Ulster Unionists and a minority of tho Nationalists presented minority reports. The result was to minimise the agreement reached, and to emphasise the disagreement. Thero were two possible issues to tho deliberations. If a scheme of self-government could be framed to which Ulßter Unionists would give adherence then tho Convention might produco a unanimous report. Failing this it was folt tho Convention might secure some agreement either complete or substantial between tho Nationalists and the Southern Unionists and Labourites. However, a portiou of Ulster claimed that if Ireland had the right to separate itself from the United Kingdom, Ulster had the right to separate from the rest of Ireland, but no other section of the Convention would accept even a temporary, partition. Hence tho Ulster Unionist members of the Convention remained theroonlyinthehopo that some form ot Homo Rule would be proposed which might modify the determination of those they represented to have neither part nor lot in an Irish Parliament. Tho Nationalists slrovo to win them by concoß-. sions, but they found themselves unablo to accept any of tho schemes discussed, and the only scheme of Irish government they presented to tho Convention was confined to tho exclusion of their entire province. The Fiscal Question. Tho two great difficulties were Ulster and Customs duties. The latter became a vital question. Tho tendency of recent political thought among constitutional Nationalists has been towards a form of government resembling as closely as possible that of the dominions, and sinco _ tho geographical position of Ireland imposes obvious restrictions in respect of naval and military affairs, the claim for dominion Homo Rule 'was concentrated upon a demand for unrestricted fiscal powers. Without separate Customs and excise duty Ireland would, according to this view, fail to attain a national status lilto the dominions. Upon this issue tho Nationalists made a 6trong case. They proved that a considerable numbor of loading commercial men nowfavoured fiscal autonomy as part of nit Irish settlement. In tho present stato of public opinion in Ireland it was feared that without Customs control no scheme the Convention recommended would receive sufficient popular support. To obviate any serious disturbance of the trade o? the United Kingdom tKoy were prepared to agree to a free trade arrangement botwoen the two countries, but this did not overconia tho difficulties of the Southern Unionists, who agreed with the Ulster Unionist* on this point. They were apprehensive that a separate system of Customs control, however guarded, might impair tho antliorily of the United Kingdom over its external trado policy. Neither could they consent to any settlement which mq in their judgment 'incompatible with Treland's full participation in a schemo C?

j United Kingdom federation should that \. come to pass. t Constitution and Powers, j:- . Sir Horace Plunkett proceeded to refer i to a series of resolutions passed' regard- ! ing self-government. The scheme pro- '■ ■ ■ .vides lor the establishment 01 n Purliu- . Inont .for the whole of Ireland, with re\i sponsible executive and full powers over all internal legislation, ndministraj tion, and direct taxation. Pending the ! decision of the iiscnl question, it prorides for the imposition of Customs and ' excise duties to remain with the ImI. jjerinl Parliament,, but the wholo proceeds of these duties to be paid into tho ( . Irish Exchequer. A board to ba appoint- !: • cd. lo determine what is true Irish re- !/ venue, and Ireland to be represented on a ' Board of Customs and Excise of tho ! United Kingdom. The principle of rpi presentation in tho Imperial Parliament j was insisted upon by the Southern Union- \ ists.and the Nationalises conceded this. It was felt, however, that there were :". ._ strong: reasons 'for providing that Irish • ; "~ at Westminster should be elected by the Irish Parliament rather than directly by the constituencies. This was adopted. It was accepted in prineiplo that Ireland should contribute to tha j cost of Imperial services, but owing to i lack of data it is impossible to fix a dpI finite sum. It was agreed that {he Irish '■ Parliament should consist of a Senate ; of sixty-four members, and a House of ':. , Commons of two hundred members, the ; prineiplo underlying- tho composition .of i. • the Senato being its representation, of ; • the interests of commerce, industry, ! Jabonr,,;county councils, churches, lcarn- ! ccb'institiitions,- rnd tho prorage. The | Nationalists offered to guarantee a forty i per cent, .membership of the House of I Commons to the Unionists. It was agreed • j that in"tho South adequate reprcsenta- \ tions for Unionists could only be secured I , by' nomination, but ns the Ulster.repref ' rentatives informed the Convention that those for whom they spoke could not ; accept the principle of nomination, provision was made in the scheme for cxI. tra representation of Ulster by direct ; election. A majority of the Labour representatives frankly objected to the prin. ! ' ciplo of nomination, and to whr.l: thev >' regarded as the inadequate representation .of Labour in the Senate ! Measure of Agreement Reached, > Sir Horace Plunkett, in conclusion, • points out that the Convention, had (o j hud a way out of tha most complex and j , anomalous political situation in history. ! ' We are living under a system of govern- ! inont which survives only because an Act j abolishing it cannot, consistently with : Ministerial pledges, bo' put into operai .tion without further legislation no less ! difficult and controversial than that which it has lo amend. In atiompting to; find a compromise which Ireland might accept and Parliament puss into law, it has been recognised that the full .programme of no party could be adopted. The Convention was also bound to , give due weight, tot the-opinion, that to press for a settlement at Westminster during the war of the financial question would imperil tho prospect of an ■early establishment of self-government. Notwithstanding the difficulties wherewith tho matter was surrounded, . a larger measuro of agreement was readied upon principles and details of Irish self-government than had ever yet been attained.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Keuter.