IRISH TREATY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1932, Page 5

IRISH TREATY

OATH QUESTION INTERPRETATION OF NEW BILL. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 26. An important statement as to tiie pos tinn of the Irish Free State, wan madfj in the'Commons, to-day by AL Thomas. Ho said that no further official communication had been received from the Government of the Irish Free State, but ’there had been import'.,nt •developments. The Bill introduced in the Duil last week had been published, and examination of the test showed it was designed not merely to remove the obligation now imposed on members of the Irish Free State Parliament to take the oath set out in the treaty, but to go further. It is purported to repeal .action 2 of the Irish Free State Constitution A<t, 1922, which provided that the treaty should have the force of law that any amendment to the constitution in any respect repungniit 1.0 the treaty, would be void by amendment to article 50 of the constitution to enable tlit’ cohst’lution to be amended without tiie treaty. The text til’ the Bill thus confirmed the gonet'rtl vieiv of the situation expressed in tiie despatch oi Mr J)e Valera, on April 9, that what was actually raised by him was nothing less than repudiation of the settlement of 1921 as a whole. Mr Thomas said he had already made it clear, on behalf of tho Government, that they looked upon the matter as a violation of the treaty. The Bill being discussed by the Free State. Parliament confirmed that view

CLOTHING DUTIES INCREASED. “IRISH INDUSTRY CRUSHED.” (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) DUBLIN, April 27. The Free State has increased the duties on British and foreign readymade clothing to 45 and 60 per cent, respectively. Woollen and worsted fabrics are subject to a twenty per cent, duty o.n British, and thirty on foreign goods. The “Irish Press” declares that the Irish woollen industry was crushed bv England’s tyranny, duties could be revived, thus reducing unemployment. The tariff is deplored in Yorkshire, where it is bound to hit its large and profitable trade.