IRISH FREE STATE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1932, Page 5

IRISH FREE STATE

REPLY TO BRITAIN LAND ANNUITIES CONFERENCE. !' (United Press Association—l3y Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, April 4. It is understood that the Fianna Fail Ministry, in their reply to the British Ministry, reiterated the determination tc abolish the oath, and to retain the land annuities and that the reply lengthily argues that neither of these actions would constitute any breach o: the Irish Treaty. It, is also understood that the reply intimates that the Irish Free State is not averse to holding a conference to discuss the land annuities. It is reasserted that the- question of the oath is one that concerns the Irish people alone. ' EXPRESSIONS BY AUSTRALIA.

AGAINST ENDANGERING UNITY

CANBERRA, April 8

The Prime Minister, Hon. J. Lyons, to-day announced that he has cabled to President De Valera, expressing Australia's concern at the Situation developing in Ireland, and also expressing an earnest hope that tile Irish Free State would take no action which would endanger the existing unity of the British Commonwealth of Nations and the relationship of the Irish Free State to her sister Dominions and to the United Kingdom.

My Lyons, in his cablegram, pointed out that Australia had co-operated with the Irish Free State and sister Dominions and with the United Kingdom, in removing Constitutional difficulties, and had hoped, that, as a lesnlt of the Imperial Conference •in 1926, and in 1.930, the position had been reached where the full co-operation of the selfgoverning people under a common Crown had been achieved. Therefore any attempt, to weaken the unity of the Brintish Commonwealth of Nations would be profoundly deplored by the people of Australia.

RETALIATION ARGUMENT.

CANBERRA, April 5. In his cablegram to President De Valera, the Prime Minister, Air J. A. Lyons emphasised that Australia contains a large proportion of people of Irish birth, who, he said, might be vitally affected bv any constitutional change involving their rights and prill vileges as citizens of a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations,

LYONS’ MESSAGE STARRED

BY A NEW YORK PAPER.

NEW YORK, April 0

The (< N@w York Times” prominent, k Jy displayed on its first page the Australian Government’s note to the Do Valera Government, printing the entire text. The news arrived too iate for comment. The reaction to-night however, is expected to attract great interest.

OTTAWA REPRESENTATION. OTTAWA, April 4. The Canadian Minister of Trade, Hon. Mr Stevens, when asked what the standing would be of the Free State delegation, if the difficulty arose in connection with the oath of allegiance, said: “I am sure the Free State will not do anything to impair its standing in the British Commonwealth.