CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1922, Page 3

CABLE NEWS.

THE IRISH PROBLEM.

' AUSTRALIAN AND lI.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. PROMISE OF BITTER FIGHT. LONDON, Feb. 3. Southern Ireland threatens that Sinn Feiners will make the Northern Government ineffective, by non-co-opera-tion, are raising a defiant spirit in Ulster. Already a dangerous situation is developing in Derry, where a public demonstration was held, and Mayor O’Doherty declnrOd that “what the’people have doiie to Belfast can be done again. This fight is gbirtg to be no child’s play. Nationalists born in six coulitieS are not going to sell their birthright fbr a mess of potng*. If the abortion qf a Parliament in Belfast continues to flout the will of the Irish people, the fight will go on with the gloves off.” '•

ULSTERITE’S VIEWS.

LONDON, Feb. 3. Captain Charles Craig, in a speech at Belfast, declared he was convinced .that South Ireland would have a Republic within two years. If South Ireland, or any commission appointed by the Imperial Government attempted to deprive North Ireland of large pieces of six counties, the result would be civil war. If the people wanted an Irish settlement without bloodshed the provisions of the treaty with regard to boundaries must be altered.

IRISH BOUNDARIES. A DISTURBING FACTOR. LONDON, Ij’eb. 4. The British public are surprised at the latest turn of. the Ulster boundary controversy. It was believed the dispute was merely a tpiestion of a rectification of boundaries. Mr M. Collins, in a statement, says that the Irish Treaty with the British Government provides that in deciding as to the boundary line question, it is for the inhabitants of the area concerned to decide, and for them only to decide.

“If,” he says, “we take the counties as a guide, then Anti-Partition jhas a clear majority in two out of the six Ulster counties. If we take the con- ! stituencies or the County Councils, or the parishes, then Anti-Partition gains very large areas in the counties of Down, Derry and Armagh. “These are facts! We can only come to agreements on recognised facts. Our claim is that the majorities must rule.” Sir James Craig (Ulster Premier) interviewed, said—“ Some portions of Northern Ireland have slight Sinn Fein majorities, but owing to a magnificent response of the loyalist population during the war, it is impossible for me to part with this territory solemnly conveyed by an Act of the British Parliament. There is no precedent for taking territory from a created State.” Mr Arthur Griffiths (Irish Premier), interviewed, said:—“The Dail Eireann will not permit Nationalist Ulster to be coerced. It will not, however, use force against that part of Ulster voting itself outside the Irish Free State.” Mr Collins has made a statement that the new Irish Treaty provides that it is the people who will decide the boundary. Any map marked under such a principle must give to the Irish Free State an immense area of Ulster.” Mr Griffiths therefore suggests, that in view of the new situation, the Parliamentary representatives of the whole of Ireland ought to meet, and to adopt a pplicy, and form a constitution. The only alternative to this was a resumption of the old disturbances and animosities. Mr Collins’s statement represents the unanimous view of the ( Dail Eireann Ministry.

THE IRISH SETTLEMENT. (Received This Ray at 8 a.m.) LONDON, February 5. The “Observer” states if anything beyond trimming and rectification of Ulster boundary had been contemplated, the Irish Treaty would not have stood sy moment’s c/haitce of being ratified. Ulster will retain the statutory area of 6 Counties intact or there will be civil war. If anything more than trimming is contemplated, the Coalition Government will undoubtedly fall. We think it will turn out that Lloyd George and hi s colleagues had nothing but a trimming boundary in mind. If Griffiths and Collins imagined a carving process was contemplated to the possible extent of shearing away half of the present area of the six Counties, they fell under a most disastrous delusion.

The “Sunday Press” says the British Government’s existence is menaced by the complete breakdown of the Irish settlement over the boundary dispute, or n Conservative revolt. No majority in the present House of Commons will alter the Irish Parliament Act, 1920, against Ulster’s will. Cabinet must reach a decision before Parliament meets on Tuesday.