IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1920, Page 2

IN IRELAND.

(Reuter’s Telegram.) ;> LLOYD GEORGE’S VIEWS. LONDON, Oct. 6. l ,\.H The Premier, Mr Lloyd George, has ipS; intimated his opposition to grantiug ’ -JDominion Home Rule to 4 Ireland, on • the ground that it Avould mean a cial loss to Britain. Making his st4to> Ujy ment to a special Press interviewer, ' said his reason for disagreeing with fjf the application to Ireland of the full measure of Home Rule Avhich the Do- % minions enjoyed was That if conceded this Ireland Avould no longer share in- y bearing the British war debt. He itaid that if Ireland did not share in the Avar Jjjf debt, the taxpayers of England and || Scotland would be placed in what was termed an “impossible position.” '-'tSjS “If,” he said, “the people of Ire-. Taii3 Avere given control of their own taxation, they in Britain must expect that the Irish State would not accept a share of the British war debt. Were ]>. the business people in Britain going to vy| be asked to pay 6s income tax, while business people in Belfast, under an/ Irish Government would be only asked to pay 2s? Or were AA’brkmen in England to be asked to pay 8s duty per lb. ; on tobacco against the Irishman’s Cd,. ; under Home Rule?” ~ It would be different, he went on, if; ' someone Avere by the Irish entitled *o speak for Ireland who would agree to bind Ireland to take a firm share of US those debt obligations. Otherwise, he contended, Britain would be placed in g| an impossible position. “Ireland,” he said, “Avould become a privitged ooun- . ?|> try, Avliilst we here Avould still be -re- g sponsible to posterity for her defence!” Whatever Avere tho merits or denier- - ; 4 its of Dominion Home Rule ns an Irish impolicy, he asserted that he did not be- ■ lieve that the Liberals in their hearts "T had the smallest assurance that they could carry it, even if they had a Liber- ■ -.< al majority in the House of Commons. . '“p