The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22. THE IRISH NATIONALIST DELEGATES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81828, 22 August 1906, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22. THE IRISH NATIONALIST DELEGATES.

A MESS telegram on Saturday last announced that Mr Joseph Devlin M.P., who is accompanied by Mr John Donovan, L.L.8., will visit New Zealand about the end of November. This is important, news to the Irish in New Zealand, and, indeed to all those who think imperially, for the question on which these delegates will address the people in this colony is one of the greatest of all Imperial questions which can command or ought to command the attention of the British people. We will have the opportunity in a few months of expressing our opinion on the Irish question. That New Zealand has a right to express an opinion on great Imperial questions is laid dowi: in New Zealand " Hansard " of the ISI.II March, 1904, which contains the reply forwarded by Mr Lyttleton, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, and reads as follows : " I fully recognise tho right of all .selfgoverning colonies to explain their opinion on so important a question (referring to the Sou'.li African Chinese question) and especially of those who have rendered memorable service in the South African War."

This is an express statement, that the Colonial Office lecognises that the people of New Zealand have a right to express their views with regard- to matters which aro beyond the scope of New Zealand's domestic polities, and it sets at res' the old threadbare argument that we, in this colony,

should not interfere with Imperial piestions. The Imperial party, whose raison d'etre was opposition to the settlement of the Irish question >n the bisis of self-government, has been swept out of existence, and in ds place, holding oili.-e, is a party .vhieh is publicly pledged to selfgovernment for Ireland. The pledge las extended over a period of 2') years, and the Prime Minister (Sir Henry Campbell- Banner-man) has given expression to tho existence of such a pledge quite recently, both at Stirling nr.d at the Albert IX ill, London. Fiu'iher than this expression of the Liberal Party's position ui tho question, wo find emb died in ■die speech from the Throne delivered it the op.uiing ot the Imperial Parliament, liith February, .9.1(5: "My -Ministers have u:;de,- consideration plans for improving and effecting economies in tho system 0! Government in hvlaud and for introducing into it means for associating the people with the conduct of Irish affairs "

Asy student of the great question must admit that the Union between Great Britain and Ireland is far from being a success. There is no need to dwell on facts which are well known, but it must be patent to every colonial that there must be something radically wrong at the root of a system that causes the flower of her population to lly f 10111 Ireland as from a plague-stricken land. The population of Ireland to-day is actually less than it was in 1801 (when the Act of the Union was passed) while the population of all the other parts of the Empire has incieased. Keen observers alii cm that tho loss of popu. lation, together with the unsympathetic system of Government, is the c mse of the enormous increase of lunacy, disease and pauperism. 'I he birthru'e is tho lowest in Europe. j\ T o parallel in the world can be found to this lamentable state of affairs.

That the Irish Qaestion will have able exponents in Messis Devlin and Donovan is not doubled. Mr Joseph Devlin represents West Belfast in the Imperial Pailiament; he is a native of llclfasf, where he was born in IHGS lie was formerly a journalist, and was ehxtel M.P. f IH - Kilkenny North at a by-election in 1002. He was also returned unopposed for Kilkenny North in the recent general election, but he has chosen to sit for West Belfast. Mr Devlin is accompanied by Mr Donovan, who is a member of the- Irish ii ir, and is also a member of the Irish National Directory. The " Perth Morning Herald," in a leading article, wannlv eulogises the style of Mr Devlin's oratory, and proceeds: "That he carried his hearers with him last night was evinced not merely by the burst of enthusiasm which greeted his eloquent peroration but by the hearty unanimity with which the resolutions ol sympathy with support 'if Irish claims—the first of which was moved by a Minister of the Crown neither a co-religionist nor a co-nationalist—were- carried. Mr I) vlia has undoubtedly achieved a great and by no means fleeting success at, the yery opening of his mis--ion in Australia." Throughout the States th: Irish delegates have every.vl.eie bien warmly received and suppoitel.

Kefi-ruinm to the present position of the Irish Question the "Linden

iaily News" in a recent issue, said, ; We believe that next year wise and

far-reaching legislation is to be iilroilm ed to remove its most obvious ,'iievances —to ensure financial control, to remedy the waste and chaos

if its present Government, and to issoeiafe the people directly with its iwn administration. With such a

,-ision if fiif.iiie possibilities, the 11 Mi have bt en content in Pa ilia - nent to practice a self-denying ellncenetir. Never, at !ei t, with a hundred •ears, it may safely lie asserted, have ■he prospects been so bright of honorJih: peace being effected in a warfare ihiih has been waged for ce lturies." i\"e trust the local branch of the 'nited in'sh l.ea.-.ue will invito the c-logate.s to New Plymouth, so that

11l e people heie may get an in-Hi-•i to the liish Question, which everyone hopes to see settled in 19 7, on terms honorable to all concerned.