HOME RULE FOR IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 298, 11 May 1911, Page 8

HOME RULE FOR IRELAND.

THE ENVOYS AT N T EW PLYMOUTH. Messrs \V. A. Redmond and J. T. Donuvan, two of the three Irish Home Rule delegates who are on a visit to the and the Australia States in an appeal for funds in aid of the "Home Rule for Ireland" cause, gave an address in the Theatre Royal, New Plymouth, last night. Although the evening was a particularly wet one, there was a very fair audience, who gave the speakers a cordial reception. Mr. G. Tisch, the Mayor, presided, and there were also on the platform Mr. H. Okey, M.P., the Very Rev. Dean McKenna. Dr. H. A. McCleland. Messrs E. Doekrill, M. Healy and R. Fleming

The Mavor, in introducing the delegates, remarked that they were only asking for Ireland the same privileges as New Zealanders enjoyed, viz., the management of their own affairs. This privilege was enjoyed by the States of Australia, by Canada, and by Africa. Seven yens ago he had visited Ireland, nnd lie considered that Ireland, next to New Zealand, was the finest country in the world. It was capable of carrying a large population, as some of the land was even better than that of Taranaki. MR. REDMOND. Mr. Redmond contrasted his hearty, reception with that accorded his father thirty years ago, when he landed in Sydney on the same mission. Whilst his father was on his way across the waters, there had occurred the Phoenix Park atrocity, one of those unfortunate and unforeseen incidents that had dogged the footsteps of the Home Rule cause. It had been rumored that Mr. C. S. Parnell was implicated in tins, and it would perhaps hardly be credited in these present enlightened times that on the delegates' arrival in Sydney hardly an Irishman would meet or speak to them. They had outlived that state of affairs, and were now to-day ON THE VERGE OF VICTOR*. The Irish Party had brought forward many needed and pressing reforms, and to-day. of that very long and difficult programme, only one remained, the primary and supreme one of Home Rule. The Irish Party now represented a stronger people and a stronger nation than in the heyday of ParneH's career, The one principle and one reform that was in their programme in 1881 was there in 1011. Of old it had been considered >hameful to .ie an Irishman, but now Irishmen in New Zealand were recognised as a credit to New Zealand, as they were in other parts of the wo'rld. WHAT DOES HOME RfLE MEAN?

The speaker remarked that the Mayor had put it very nicely when he said that the people of Ireland waited what tlioy in this free and liberty-loving, selfgoverning Dominion enjoyed. What they demanded was that a Parliament, sitting in Dublin, representative of and freely elected by the people of Ireland, should make laws and control the destinies of the people as regarded purely Irish affairs, subject, of course, to the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament. Why should Ireland be debarred from privileges which the'French-Canadians in Canada, the P>pers with their brother Bri« lons in South Africa, the Maoris with (lie white men in New Zealand, enjoyed? The idea that this demand was preposterous could not exist in the mind of a

-'.ne or broad-minded person to-day. The people of Ireland had no cause for complaint with the democracy of England. They were marching

SIDE BV SIDE WITH ENGLAND against the ascendant class that had ruled both England and Ireland during the last century. The position to-day was almost unique. The people of England, Scotland and Wales- were allied ■with the Sovereign against that ancient and rotten relic of heredity, the House of Lords. Occasionally calumnies were circulated that there'was a fabric of trong. united, hostile opposition to Home Rule in Ireland. It was said that because one-sixth of the people did not want Home Rule the remaining fivesixths should have to suffer laws made by people who knew little about the country they were governing. The facti that armies of police had to be kept to enforce the»e laws showed that- they were not in accordance with the wishes of the people. If Home Rule were ob-

tuined. Ireland was ready to forget and forgive her treasured wrongs, and was willing to make a free and amicable settlement that would be of benefit tc England, to Ireland, and to the Empire All they wanted was the opportunity t« show' that Irishmen could rule their own country as well as they were able to assist iu ruling other countries. He referred to the catch-words, ''Home Rule means Rome Rule." This was one of ,tbe most insulting taunts, and quite uncalled for. Tlicy did not want separation from England. They wanted to eke out their own existence within the British Empire, and in doing so to unite and consolidate that great Empire in which their sons had in the past taken such an historic and prominent part. The speaker resumed his seat amidst apolau.se. im. doxovax. Mr. Donovan said the Irish people were not a set of revolutionaries, but were peaceable people, the same as New Zcalanders. On historic grounds, as well as a matter of expediency, thev were only demanding their rights. The pcopre of Ireland merriy asked the right to govern their domestic and internal affairs on their own lines. He pointed out that out of one hundred members, Ireland sent eighty-four to demand restoration of their Parliament, which was stolen by corruption a hundred years ago. As regarded sectarianism, they would not oh.M'ct to a purely Protestant Parliament so long as it Wiis composed of Irishmen and sat in Ireland. He pointed out that they had obtained local government in 18US, and not one act of intolerance could be imputed against them. Concerning the hostility towards the movement from (

THE ULSTER PARTY, lie stated that'oven Ulster was comiii" round in tlie march towards victory for national self-government. He believed Unit within two vears the Parliament would l,e restored to Ireland, and would not only eomliiee to the improvement 0 | Ireland, hut would also tend to eonsoJiclate and strengthen the bonds of Empire rt was only through ignorance that I the idea of separation got abroad. What 1

they wanted was national autonomy, subordinate to the Imperial Parliament. Ireland was ruled by nominated boards responsible to no oiie. Yet the people were taxed for their upkeep, now long, lie asked, would a free and enlightened country like New Zealand stand that? All the leaders in the Home Rule movement for the past hundred years had been Protestants, with the exception of CConnell and the Redmonds, and, moreover, Catholic constituencies were senciing Protestants to Parliament now. .IRELAND'S LOYALTY. Ireland would be loyal when she had something to be loyal* for. South Africa -was disloyal a few years ago, yet it now had self-government. So had Canada, which was in open revolt 90 years ago, and more than half of these Canadians were French Catholics, yet there were no tales of persecution. Ireland would be loyal if she got her rights. Another serious aspect was that there were twenty millions of Irish descent in America, and as long as the Home Rule question was unsettled, the Anglo-Ame-rican alliance would not result, and this alliance for defensive and aggressive purposes would be sufficient to ensure the peace of the world. Was that not to be desired? The argument adduced against Home Rule that Irishmen were incompetent to manage their own affairs was absurd. One had onlv to look at the number of Irishmen holding hieh positions in every capacity throughout the world to have an irrefutable answer to that slander. THE LAST APPEAL. This was the last occasion, he concluded, on which they would come to the dominions asking for the moral and practical support of the people. Next time, he hoped, they would come out as the representatives of a free people to thank New Zealanders for having assisted a historic nation in winning its historic rights.

Mr. H. Okey, M.P., proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the speakers for the interesting manner in which they had handled the question. After hearing their explanation, he did not see how anyone could possibly see any objection to Homo Rule.

Mr. Dockrill seconded, and saw he knew from personal experience that every remark the speakers had made wrfs absolutely correct.

The motion was carried with vociferous applause.

Messrs Redmond 'and Donovan, in returning thanks, again referred to the enthusiastic receptions and cordial treatment they had reeeived throughout New Zealand. Everywhere they had spoken the chair had been occupied by the Mayor (in no case a Catholic) and leading citizens had taken prominent places on the platforms. This would have u great moral effect on the movement at Home, as showing the sympathy the cause was receiving from a thriving, loyal and self-governing Dominion. AT PALMERSTON NORTH. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Palmerston N., Last Night. Mr. Hazelton, Irish delegate, addressed a most enthusiastic meeting, presided over by the Mayor, in the Empire Hall to-night. The meeting unanimously carried,on the motion of Mr. E. 0. Hurley, seconded by Mr. R. McNab, a resolution! in favor of Home Rule as being in thej best interests of the good government' of the Empire. AT DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Last Night. A preliminary meeting was held here to-night to make arrangements for the visit of the Home Rule delegates, and was attended by about fifty gentlemen. A subscription list was opened, and over 100 guineas has already been subscribed.