IRISH OATH

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1932, Page 2

IRISH OATH

W-\I!NI-N'' TO FREE STATE. PENALTY til'' BROKEN FAITH. LONDON, .Juno 14. A brief but vlvar statement given by Air J. H. '.Th.'Tias (Secretary of' States for the Dominions) in the House of {Commons leaver, 'no doubt as to the penalty the lii-.k;, Free State must sutler if the Oath' Abolition Bill is carried through. Mr Knimott. a Glasgow Unionist, asked the Secretary of .State for the Dominion whether it was the Intention of his "'Majesty's Government to enter into negotiations with the Irish Free State Government, with regard to the .application to the Irish Free State of the Import Duties Act after November doth, 195?;; . Mr Thifiias .replied : The provisions contained «■ in the Bill to abo! sn the .Oa!::h are" in direct conflict with the obligation." undertaken by the Irish 'Free State iind-r the Treaty of 1321. lit appears to lis Majesty’s Government that if Ihe Bill becomes law it would he nm en-miabV I" expect that •jliev should en;er into nOg.il bilious ior lurtlrw agfementdr w'th a Governin' ml which Iliad iflrns. jipmdiated an agreement already eVileii-ed into. (Cheers).

■Mr George L.tn'dmrv (Labour Leader): May i ask whether, in view of the fact that the Hill ha* not yet become lew. tb,, right 1 on. .. fftm- Inman thinks it would be for tlie puh'ie udvant-ge that (be Ho SC sltom'd debate t' question, seemg that the Irion Senate has not yet passed the Bill? .Mr Thomas : (In-the question of 11 debate, the Led Pr-U'.ent of the (Turned will nnsw-r. As to the. wisdom of a debate, I lue-e "o bes.tation in paying that I do not Uiink it will oe tieces-ary. ((I.leers). : Air Liitisb.’uy: We have not asked for time fo- a discussion because we agree among ouirei'-s that it would >*,. best to let tf 'oee- ttAb.jj/df.emerit in Ireland before ■ public dija ussion. but I do want to point out that, ■when the matter i.s settled, . we ■‘•Hinl' iigk for time for a discussion.

•Mr Baldwin (Lord President of 'the Council): I am sure that the House will appreciate the right hon. gentlemans point of view. We none ol us have any desire, wink* this matter is st II bring r? 'scus-ed in Ireland, to interfere at all. (Cheer-s). If a question is put. to me subsequently I wid consider L. Mr Maxtor ; Is it in keeping with either the dignity or decency of this House that a slai.e-meni ol policy ol tli gravity (j f that jus., iiu'ma.ied simu'd bo made before there has been an opportunity of the House dhscu sing the matter for even live minutesh

Mr Baldwin : Tiie (pui-tien and the answer are both hypothetical, and alter careful eoiisideiation I thins w<. have de alt in a perfectly straight forward and proper way with the matter. (Cheers). Free State Budget. While this passage took place in the Commons, Mr Sean Me In tee, the Free State Minister of Finance, was introducing his Budget in the Dail. He said that owing to .the default by Great Britain in her gold obligations, the Irish. Free State laid lost £'63,000,000 on her investments in Great Br.U.Li. I Thai was a fact, that should be borne in mind when the question el t'he land annuities came to be di-'iissi-d. I The revenue position was exceedingly I unsatisfactory, and tire .war Jielore I them would be bard and difficult im j taxpayers of the Free Smio. A new ' hniitffu'ophl have to be raised (luring l.iie year j„r reproduel ive work, and the ] total amount to be I roivded lor this .would be li present i*'B' of taxation remained in lorce Ibe i£venue wctld be .short by £3.616.0','). \ They would have to secure rigorous ' (KUnmivs in the public services, esped- ! |!v as t'>e.v would have this year i.«> I provide £ 1,';()!).LOO ler unemployment j seliemes. Tiiey proposed to increase ’ |!,c e.grieu't nr.il rate reii< f bv L'M-M ',<H l(). I Income tax would be increased from I u- i; ( | to os. and the amount taxable at half-rate would be reduced in L'KIB. But be would increase the earned income al!owancc from i,;ie-lcut li to one-si.xH'. Allowances l'< r each diiltl would be increased to LAO. The personal allowance for unmarried persons would >o reduced irom L’ioO fo £l-6.

Surtax would he levied on incomes over £ISOO instead of over £2OOO, as at present, and tin* surtax scale would lie raised all along the line, Corporation profits tax. would he raid'd to /{ per cent, in the ease of I ret: State companies and 1(> per (tent, in the ease o! foreign companies trading in the Free State. A tax of 4d per lb would be imposed on tea; a tax of 2d per bottle on all imported foods, and similar duty on all imported cosmetics. The entertainment tax would he extended to racehorse and greyhound racing meetings. Forty-three new duties were to he imposed, on the advice of the Ministry for Industry and Commerce. They would include a tax on imported newspapers, and on those the siir ace area of whose pages does not exceed 320 square inches, the tax would be one penny a copy.

Support of Cabinet. Mr Thomas’ clear warning in the House of Commons (says “the Times” Parliamentary correspondent) was made after the matter had been considered by the Cabinet. It is understood that the declaration had the full support not only of all the members of the Cabinet who attended the meeting, but also of the Prime Minister. The Cabinet recently set up a small Committee to watch any development of the position in the Irish Free State, and the decision to make an immediate statement was taken on its advice. The United Kingdom Government has been anxious to avoid ally suggestion that it was desiring to dictate to Mr do Valera lie fore the Oath Bill had been presented to the Pail, hut at the same time it was felt that it would he unfair that either the Pail or the Senate should agree to the passage of the Bill into law without knowing the full consequence. of their action. It is now clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that if the Biil is passed in its present form — and the United Kingdom Government does not believe that it will he obstructed by the Senate—the United Kingdom Government will decline, to enter into an v tariff agreements with the Free State at Ottawa.

Air Dulantv, the Free .State High Commissioner, was in the Gallery when

Mr Thomas made his statement, and at once communicated the text of it to Dublin. it 'is understood that the Free .State Government had been anxious to begin the discussion of possible tariff pre 'erences with the United Kingdom, but this is now out of the question. In the firm stand which he has taken Air Thomas lias the support of the overwhelming majority of the House of Commons, and there is no real demand for a Parliamentary debate.

“Not a Pleasant Prospect.” The Party now in power in the Irish Free State, comments the “-Morning Post.’’ “owns nothing and knows nothing', it is supported by the I.R-.A. the eleven other secret societies which Cosgrave attempted to suppress. It is led neither by reason nor by interest, but by a bitter grudge, a fanatical hatred, a desire to break down and destory, which wrecked the fairest things in Ireland some ten years or more ago, and is ready to devastate again what good Irishmen have built out of thg ruins AVe fear that the National Government will find that they are not dealing with reasonable men in this matter, and that tlieit appeal to the true interest of Ireland i« thrown back in their faces. Demagogues who enllame racial passions, supported by gunmen who intimidate opposition, are not likely to he influenced by any thought of Irish trade or BriljMi marked-:. It is not a pleasant prospect, but less unpleasant than further -surrender which would avail nothing, Mncc it would only be fo'lowed by fresh demands and greater injuries.”

Cardinal Miterory, Archbishop of Armagh, denounced drilling which, lie said, was reported to be going on in fTi,. s-mtli Louth Almmtnins in the Free j State. j If the drilling was with tlv intention I of lighting England, he said, it w-ao extremely foolish, for Fnglaod could send j over a fleet of aeroplanes and wipe out ! any portion of the country without the loss of a. single member of her defence | forces.