HOME RULE BILL.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1920, Page 3

HOME RULE BILL.

NEW BILL DISCUSSED

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyugb:./

(Received this day at 11.25 a.m.; LONDON, March 11

The Ulster Council motion on behalf of three Counties, said the Council was abiding by the Covenant and refuses any form of Government that does not include the whole province, and demands that the Parliamentary leaders | should see that the new Bill is altered accordingly. When this was defeated, the meeting carried unanimously a motion re-affirming a. preference of union to Home Rule, and refusing to accept responsibilty for the new Bill, but the new Bill was preferable to the 1914 Act," the simple repeal of which seems unprocurable. Ulster representatives, I therefore, should not accept responsibility for defeating the Bill, but should press amendments protecting the inter-1 ests of Unionists outside of the six counties. !

The “Daily Telegraph” says the upshot of the whole thing is that Ulster will not oppose the Bill, but the excluded Counties are sold. The “Morning Post” states the outstanding feature of the meeting was the j frequent manifestation of the fact triat as they are, and are being pushed out of the United Kingdom against their will, which is a deplorable return for what Ulster did in helping to win the war. The paper adds that Ulster Unionist business mens’ Council also reaffin e-1 a preference for the union, but ai.tnor- i ised Sir E. Cars-m »o j 'oroed as he ! considered best, because the rejection of the new Bill would involve the grave risk of establishing an AH Ireland Parliament. On the other hand, the Irish Unionist Alliance met at Dublin and resolved, while recognising Ulster’s claim to separate treatment, that the new Bill must bo opposed by every means in their power. Sir E. Carson, in a speech at a public meeting at Belfast, after the termination of the Council, said if they had their way, there would be no tampering with the Union. They warned Government, whatever the’outcome of the tampering, that they would accept no responsibility for it, if disaster resulted. The whole responsibility would he the Government’s. At the same time he refused to ask his followers to run their heads against the wall. They would try to mend the Bill, in Ulster's interests,

A MOMENTOUS GATHERING. LONDON, March II

Yesterday’s meeting of Ulster Unionist Council was generally regarded as the most momentous ever held. The speeches were marked by intense seriousness. An earnest strong contingent of delegates from Cavan, Donegal and Mongahan Counties, put up a strenuous fight for inclusion in the northern area. The “Daily Telegraph” snVs the three counties pleaded that the Ulster Covenant should not he departed from, but the inexhorable facts of the situation prevailed and they were defeated by a large majority. It was with sorrowful feelings that the majority voted the outpost Counties out of Ulster Parliament, but mind had to prevail over heart. It was felt that if they were excluded the Unionist majority would be so small that Parliamentary business would be Impossible.

PARSON’S VIEWSLONDON. March 111

Sir E. Carson added lie had set nut to free Ulster from Dublin Parliament, [f the Bill passed they had wop. He would not say the whole of Ireland, hut lie would have done what he had covenanted for. It was all very well to say why not fight as before, but there was nothing more to fight for. If Ulster were freed from Dublin Parliament it would be no use pretending they could govern Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan. They, had a strong Ulster in six countries which would be better support for the other three than if they bad a tottering Ulster, comprising the whale nine.° Hp denied the Covenant was broken. The Council’s decision was sane, wise statesmanlike and was not due to funk, but sheer logic, was the reason.