POLICY OF VALERA

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1932, Page 5

POLICY OF VALERA

REPUBLIC AIMED AT

HOPES FOR UNITED IRELAND

(United Press Association —By Electric i Teleg rn pli.—Copyright.) ■ \ DUBLIN, March 16. The suspension of the Public Safety Act, by executive action, a t the next meeting-of the Executive' Council has been announced by President Do Valera in an interview. Ho added that with the impending removal of .the.oath, the J.R.A. will have no reason for its existence.

It was not thought that the J.R.A was illegal. At least it was at present not engaged in any illegal action The oath was purely a domestic matter. It had not called for any reference from Britain. The Government, he said, proposed to protect .Irish industries, but it did not contemplate a revenue tariff.

Regarding Imperial , preference, his Government were prepared to negotiate trade agreements for lmitunl preference. It had not been decided whether he would go to the Ottawa Conference. He hoped, eventually, to merge the office of Governor-General into that of President of tlie Irish Republic,

He did not intend to make another payment of land annuities. The onus of presmiting a case in tlips direction rested with Britain. The annuities would go 'to the State, the farmers benefiting as citizens. The Government intended to claim the restoration of the annuities already paid, totalling thirty millions sterling. He hoped chat the present unnatural boundaries between the north and south of Ireland would be broken down and that Ireland- would be united. Asked whether the proposed to re l nounce the Treaty with Britain, he replied that he was not looking as far as that, but his ultimate object was the Irish Republic.