British Parliament.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7746, 23 February 1905, Page 3

British Parliament.

Irish Affairs Discussed. (Received I'Vb. 22, 10 i>.m.) LONDON, l'Cij. 22. The debate on Mr Redmond's amendment was resumed to-day. In response to the Unionists' question whether the .Liberal programme included Home Hule, Sir Henry Campbell-Dannerman declared that he had always supported, and always would support, a fundamental alteration in the system of Irish Government, and added that the Cabinet! was dissatisiied with tile situation, inasmuch as it had assented to the appointment of Sir A. MacDonnell, who was rather a colleague than an undcr-secretary, and had been ordered to go beyond the functions of an ordinary civil servant. When he did so his action became blameworthy. He took soundings on behalf of the Government , among tin- t nionists to ascertain to what extent it was desirable to go. ■ If he were blamable, the Viceroy I and Mr Wyndham were blamable J also. |

. Air Balfour replied that when the Chief Secretary was in the Cabinet l/ic Viceroy was not responsible for the government of Ireland. It was true that Lord Dudley had discussed the mattes with Sir A. MacDonnell, for he understood from the latter that Air- W'yndgain was aware of what was occurring, and believed erroneously that Mr rjWyndliaiu was acquainted with his project. Amid cries of "Produce the correspondence," Mr Balfour continued, and ridiculed the notion that Sir A. MacDonnell. had been given authority outside his ofticc to initiate policies whereon Mr Wyndham and the Government had not been consulted. He defended Mr Wyndham against the discreditable charge of concealing the truth concerning the communications between Sir A. MacDonnell and Lord Dunraven, and reminded Irish Unionists that Home Hule is neither dead nor swooning. A feature of the debute was one of Mr Tim Healy's finest orations denouncing the policy of the Irish j Unionists, and pleading for conciliatory methods. Replying to Lord 'Hugh Cecil's remarks that he did not know what nationality was, the speaker exclaimed : "I tell him it is something you are willing to die for. Even Lord Hugh Cecil would not die for the meridian of Greenwich." Mr Healy concluded by demanding for Ireland self-government the same as would be conceded to the Boers in a few years. The amendment was negatived by 2SG votes to 236. Several Irish and a few English Unionists abstained from voting.