Home Rule Bill.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 91, 8 April 1914, Page 5

Home Rule Bill.

THE SECOND READING. CARRIED SN THE COMMONS BY A MAJORITY OF 80 VOTES. l_x >r Electric Telegraph—Copyright,! [United Press association.ti London, April 7. The Home Rule Bill _ was read a second time by 356 to 27C. The Unionists cheered the announcement of the figures. Mr T. Agar-Robartes (Liberal) voted against the O’Bnenites. Captain Pirrio (Liberal) abstained from voting. Seven Liberals were unable to secure pairs. Sir Edward Grey and Mr Lloyd-Gcorge paired. Th© voters included Mr SarnueUTouag (Nationalist member for East Cavan), aged ninety-three.

during the debate. London, April 7. In the House of Commons, Sir Edward Carson, speaking regarding federalism, said it would not prejudice the position whether Ireland should be one unit or two. Mr Redmond said that the Nationalists would not listen to the suggestion that Ulster should be excluded until the federal scheme had been completely worked out. Mr Bonar Law declared that tho two ways to avert a calamity ueie the exclusion of Ulster or an appeal to the country. The, Government’s bargain with tho Nationalists barred either solution. If Sir Edward Grey s proposal to renew conversations were formally made, the Opposition would accept it, hut it was useless if Mr Redmond vetoed every Opposition proposal. After consultation with Lord Lansdowne, ho offered that if the Government would put forward its new proposals, and the Bill were carried through the Commons and obtained the support of the people, so far as Lord Lansdowne was able to speak for the House of Lords, they would allow the Government to place tho Bill on the Statute Book without change or delay, and without depriving the Government of any of the privileges it enjoys under the Parliament Act. The Opposition would even welcome the temporary exclusion of Ulster by county option if the proposition were submitted to the House in a form that it could be discussed. The time limit was so inherently unjust and absurd that it would not stand discussion even in the present House of Commons.

Mr Healy (Independent Nationalist) said “the next election will be fought on the Ulster question. The appeal to the electorates will be: ‘Will you allow free-traders to have free trade in blood f’ ” He said it would have been better for Ireland if the Conservatives had been in office for the past eight years. Mr Birrell (Chief Secretary for Ireland) said ho shuddered at the very thought of civil war. He did not ignore the courage and determination of Ulster, or their passionate hatred of the Catholics, but it took two to make a quarrel. Ulster must be won, and her willingness could not have been conquered by force. While not shutting the .door to any settlement, and not insisting on the proposals in the present form, ho said it was idle for the Government to parlev for ever with threats of force.

NEWSPAPER DETAILS OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. '(Received 9.0 a.m.) London, April 7. The Morning Post publishes what professes to be the details of the Government’s intended operations in Ulster in expectation that Sir Edward Carson will start provisional government. The paper adds that as the arrest of the leaders is likely to provoke Ulstermen’s resistance, it is intended to seize the Boyne bridges with an army of 25,000, at the same time cooperating with the fleet. On revealing the Government’s plans to General Paget, he referred to the possible massacres of the advanced detachments, if isolated.

THE ARMY FOR THE PEOPLE. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 6. The Times’ military correspondent, discussing the Radical Labor demand for the democratisation of the Array, argues that it would he better to pay officers. Infantry officers must possess a private income of £l5O a year, and cavalry officers £SOO. To enable the poor soldiers to take commissions would mean an additional cost of 11 millions for tho upkeep of the Home Army. THE VOLUNTEERS’ ARTILLERY. (Received -S a.m.) London, April 7. Nationalist volunteers at Londoniderry, fearing an attack in the evenling, brought out a cannon to give the alarm, but it burst when fired, shattering the windows in the vicinity, i 'Flie police and military are conjstantly prepared for emergencies.