HOME RULE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16485, 26 February 1914, Page 7

HOME RULE.

DEMAND FOR GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS.

THE MOTION LOST.

By Telegraph—Press. Association—Copyright, LONDON, February 24.

The motion of Mr B. G. Falle, member for Portsmouth, that it is imperative that the Government should immediately submit its proposed altera-, tions of the Home Rule Bill, was lost by 311 votes to 288. MR ASQUITH'S DECLARATION. GOVERNMENT NOT TO BE BROWBEATEN. MR BONAR LAW PROMISES ULSTER UNIONIST HELP. (Received February 25, 10.55 p.m.) LONDON, February 25. Mr Falle urged that it was impera-; tive that the Premier should submit an alteration to the Home Rule Bill without delay., Mr ( Asquith said there was no indication that the electorate was ad-' verse and there was no reason why the Government should hoist the white flag. He did. not intend to abandon the Bill or yield to the menace of physical" force.,' The Home Rule Bill would be read, a second time after the end of the financial year and before Easter. The Government then' would explain its proposals. He was not going to be browbeaten into a course which would embarrass the prospects of basing Irish self-government on the foundation of consent and goodwill. Mr Bonar Law said that the Premier still was drifting. The Government could go to the country or exclude Ulster. He would regard any other proposal as a declaration of war. The sooner the Government'"? decision was known the better.. For the first umo in two hundred and fifty years one of the great , political parties - had solemnly declared that it would assist Ulster in resisting the Government. This statement . was received with cheers and cries of "Shame." Mr Bonar Law retorted that he was going to sneak frankly. It was the duty of Unionists inside and outside Parliament to make it impossible for the Government to commit a great crime. ~ . .''.'.

. Mr O'Brien said that the exclusion of Ulster was the one amendment which could not be made.

A motion approving the Premier's statement was passed by 311 to 238.