HOME RULE QUESTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43094, 18 May 1907, Page 4

HOME RULE QUESTION.

The Cabinet is divided on the subject of Irish legislation. The Liberal Imperialists oppose Home Rule, and Mr Asquith, has declared that, he will resign if such a policy is brought forward. The Premier "and Mr Birred, on the other hand, are avowed Home Rulers, and so is the Ebfcd Chancellor. Speaking on the subject the other, dayin the House of Lords,, the cellor said his'orni opinion* w3s that they could not touch Irish govern-. rnent without taking 'a step towards :Home Rule. He did -not care how they touched it—whether they brought, in coercion, or Crown government,,'V;-i----whatever they did—they inevitably led up to Home Rule in his opinion, just as all roads led to Rome. He believed that it was written in destiny, that it depended on natural causes that this great change would cofne; and he hoped it would come before very long. At the same time, were the Government solitary in proposing to deal with Irish government otherwise than hy Home Rule? Surely they could not forgot what took place two or three years ago, when Mr Wyndhani and. Mr Balfour and Lord Lansdowne were all engaged in what he fhplieiyed to be on all sides perfectly honourable efforts to improve in some way the executive and financial side of the government of Ireland. The late Government evidently thought it necessary to make a .change. The present Government thought that it was necessary to make a change. He did not wish in the least to conceal his own opinion that whatever change the*v made from the present system*, necessarily and inevitably would lead to a stage further in‘the direction of Home Rule. Of course, there were others who thought it would tend to have the opposite effect. He did not quarrel with them, but still it was his’own view that anything which they did—and they must do something—must necessarily lead in that direction. Why did he believe in this policy which he told them he thought would come? He believed, whatever their lordships’ prepossessions might be against it, however mJuch they might dread its consequences, that it was certain to corns as to-morrow’s sun Was certain to rise, bcCauiso there were forces working towards it which were beyond the control Of that House or of the House >J Commons—great hluman forces which were Working out their destiny. .