HOME RULE: NOT SEPARATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 344, 21 March 1910, Page 5

HOME RULE: NOT SEPARATION

GOVERNOR-G ENERAL'S RE MARKS. MISCONSTRUED BY ORANGEMEN. By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright Melbourne, March 19.' Correspondence arising out of public, criticism by Mr. Snowball, head of the Orange Order, of the speech de'ivered by Lord Dudley, Governor-General of Australia, at the opening of a Catholic College, has been published. Mr. Snowball, in the coiuse of his remarks, said that Lord Dudley might have seen fit to say that he-never countenanced anybody who was rot in faTOr oi" giving the Irish separate rule, adding that Lord Dudley might have thought his position as Governor-Gen-eral justified him in saying such things. Lord Dudley's private secretary wrote, pointing out the difference between Lord Dudley's actual remarks, which were to the effect that he would take no part with any organisation or body which has not for its purpose the advancement, progress and prosperity of and those attributed to him. Mr. Snowball, justifying- his criticism, added that it was distinctly offensive to a large section of the people for their Governor - General to publiclv throw this necessarily weighty official influence into the advocacy and encouragement of the agitation for Home Rule for Ireland. The private secretary's response to this was that Lord Dudley did not propose to discuss the desirability of either Home Rule or the government of Ireland. He had expressed no opinion on the 'former. The latter he advocated when in a position to take piirt in a political controversy, but never, then or now, had he any .sympathy with nny change of government for Ireland which would involve or in the slightest degree lead to separation from the Empire. The correspondence closes with a letter from Mr. Snowball, expressing his pleasure that he now perceives Lord Dudley had no real sympathy with those who advocated Ireland's separation from Britain.