NORTHERN IRELAND

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 37, 14 February 1933, Page 8

NORTHERN IRELAND

LOYALTY TO BRITAIN

FREE STATE POLITICS

VISITOR'S SURVEY

The loyalty of Northern. Ireland to the United Kingdom and the British Empire was emphasised by Sir Hugh O'Neill, Unionist M.P. for County Antrim in the British House of Commons, who arrived by the Wanganella from Sydney today, accompanied by Lady O'Neill, on a visit to the Dominion. Northern Ireland, he said, was most strongly attached to the United Kingdom, and nothing would ever cause if; to throw in its lot with the Irish Free State. Sir Hugh O'Neill was the first Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, and held that office from 1921 to 1929, when he resigned the position to represent County Antrim in the British House of Commons. He is chairman of directors on the London Board of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, ■ Ltd., and has been in Australia on business during the past few months. Questioned regarding the political position in Ireland, Sir Hugh said that ever since the separation, which took place in 1920, the tendency had been more and more to convince the people of Northern Ireland that they were right in their attitude, and everything had gone to prove what they had always contended, that government in the Irish Free State would always be carried on in hostility to Britain. The economic policy, too, had drawn Northern Ireland much closer to Britain and further from the Irish Free State. It seemed quiet likely, Sir Hugh considered, that a. republic would be declared in the Irish Free State, but it would have no effect whatever on the north. HOPELESS POSITION. After referring to the dispute over the payment of land annuities to Britain, Sir Hugh expressed the opinion that the farmers in the Irish Free State must be nearly ruined as a result. Mr. Cosgrave had carried on a reasonable, sane kind of Government, and he had been faithful to his obligations and observed the treaty scrupulously. "Altogether the country was being reasonably well governed; now it is hopeless." Speaking of the depressed state of the lmen ana shipbuilding industries in Northern Ireland, Sir Hugh .recalled that the Wanganella had been built at Belfast. So far as he could gather there was not much change for the better at Home. Agriculture was very depressed, and so was industry generally. In Australia, however, there were signs of improvement, but ho could not say whether it would be a permanent improvement. One of the indications of an upward trend was the Christmas shopping turnover in Melbourne, which was the best recorded for some years. People there were definitely of the opinion that there was more money in circulation. EXCHANGE AND COST OP LIVING. Sir Hugh expressed the opinion that the New Zealand Government had acted wisely in increasing the exchange rate. It would mean, of course, that more would be required to pay the interest on external debts, but, on the other hand, it seemed to him that in a country like New Zealand, devoted mainly to primary producing, the higher rate would lead to the farmers receiving more for their products. That, he considered, would more than offset the extra amount to be paid in London. The - record majority gained by the Coalition Government at Home at the last election made its position at the moment absolutely impregnable, Sir Hugh added, and recent by-elections were proving that it still had the confidence of the country. Sir Hugh and Lady O'Neill intend to stay about three weeks in the Dominion. They axe the guests of Lord Bledisloe and Lady Bledisloe at Government House.