IRISH DUTIES BILL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 271, 11 July 1932, Page 5

IRISH DUTIES BILL

(British OfHcial Wireless)

passes the commoisis MEASURE NOT A BLUFF SAYS MR. J. H. THOMAS ALL AVENUES EXPLORED

• RUGBY, Saturday. The final stage of the debate on the Irish Free State Special Duties Bill was taken in the House of Gommons to-day when th'e third reading wa,s passed by 222 vo'tes to 30. Immediately afterwSrdS the House of Lords gave the measure a formal first reading, So that it inay be placed on the Statute Book witliout delay. During the third reading debate, the Opposition speakers moved the rejection of the Bill, declaring that both sides having accepted the principle of arbitration, the negotiations sh'ould be further continued. Hopas were also expressed that the measure would be brought into use only as the last resource and that the Ottawa Conference would be given the opportunity of adjusting the matter. Mr. J. H, Thomas said that before asking the House to pass the Bill the Government would satisfy itself that it had exhausted every mieans of reacbing a settlement. He recalled the decision of the Imperial Conference in support of arbitration being limited to an Empire Court and said that although the land annuity payments were governed by treaties, the Government was prepared to strbmit the question for arbitration by such a tribunal. Sir James Reynolds (Con., Liverpool) pleaded for the withholding of the Bill pending a strenuous effort at Ottawa to reach agreement. Mr. Thomas replied: "It is an affair bfitween Britain and Ireland. We must avoid dragging the other Dominions into the dispute. Th'e Bill is not a bluff and the Government is still ready to accept the Empire tribunal and not to use the Bill. This is an opportunity for Mr. de Valera to show real statesmanship and to reveal that he possesses the confidence of the British Commonwealth."