LOOKING BETTER FOR IRELAND.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 18 February 1914, Page 2

LOOKING BETTER FOR IRELAND.

IF'; House of Commons stand fast to the principle of Home Rule, while the House of L<ords has as emphatically, in fact even more emphatically, rejected it. It is clear that the crisis cannot be avoided. The relief of the situation is the proposal of Sir Horace Hunket, who has done so much for Ireland during his recent connection with the country, to arrange for a trail of the system by Ulster. And the surprise of the situation is the pathetic speech of Sir E. Carson practically echoing the suggestion. The position is such that if tho Act be only tried the North will, being composed of seusLnle people, be impressed by Ihe benefits of self-government and the mutual benefits of v cl-^er union between north and south, During the experiment the north will have the volunteers now in arms representing the Territorial army—the Ulster portion of the Irish Territorial force. At the close of the experiment there will be no need to regard this force as anything different.

The Government has not definitely adopted Sir Horace's suggestion, but Mr Redmond, who made a most conciliatory reference to Sir Edward Carson's pathetic speech, evidently is impressed with the idea that such is its immediate intention. On the whole, things are lookingjj better. The Irish question is not out of the tunnel of danger yet. But the day light at the safe end is beginning to be visible.