HOME RULE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 186, 5 February 1912, Page 3

HOME RULE

MR. REDMOND'S PICTURE OP HOME RULE. AN IRISH PARLIAMENT AT WORK. Mr. Redmond contributed to Home Rule Notes a picture of what is likely to happen "when Home Rule is an accomplished fact."

The articles assumes that "an Irish Parliament, duly elected, has come into being, and, that the Government of Ireland has secured for its purposes the historic building, consecrated in the eyes of Irishmen by so many glorious memories—the old Parliament House in College Green." Mr. Redmond looks forward to seeing "the first session of a reborn Irish Parliament" opened by the King in person. "For my own part," he says, "I should hope to use whatever influence lay in my control in the same •spirit as General Botha has used his great authority in South Africa." As regards the early work of the Parliament, Mr. Redmond says: "We should have to deal, for example, with reform of the Poor Law, ; which, by consent of all parties, is urgently needed in Ireland, 1 The report [ of a very strong Vice-regal Commission I presented nearly six years ago was thrown aside, as very many valuable reports have been, because the Parliament at Westminster had not time to give effect to its recommendations.. That report embodied «proposals which found general support through Ireland. But it is inconceivable that, in framing the details of a measure so important, divergences of opinion should not arise; and here the questjort whether a man was'for or against Home Rule' would have nd relevance. Take another matter. Irish opinion would demand immediately some reform of the' railway system, which is cumbrous and extravagant, and- which, as has often been shown, favors imported trade at the expense of local trade. There would be advocates, and many of them, for nationalisation of railways; but their proposals would have to meet the vested interests of Irishmen belonging to all parties, for Irish railway shares are held quite' as largely by Nationalists as by Unionists. Moreover,! there ( are quite .as,many men in' Ire-) land as in England ready to support pri- { vate' enterprise as against State control. ■•■■■■• I

'On the education question we should be strongly pressed, by Roman Catholics and JSiationalists, as well as by Protestants and Unionists, to improve' the deplorable condition of secondary educaAs to primary education, Irish opinion has avoided the religious difficulty by giving, equal privilege to all varieties of creed, and, although educational questions are always thorny to deal with, I think that such divisions as would arise would not follow the lines oi any denomination. "But what we should be asked for mainly would be legislative and administrative action directed to improving and developing the agricultural and industrial life of the country-above all, the industrial life. ' The very last thing that Irish opinion would tolerate would pe action prejudicial to any existing industry, and that is the best of all safeguards for the interests of Ulster. Irish opposition to the increased whisky duty was based solely on the injury feared, and justifiably so, directly to one of our surviving industries, and indirectly to tillage. .

"Again, we should certainly be asked for legislation which Would promote tillage and curtail the ranche system; and let me say here that, in my opinion, more of the Irish grass-ranches are held by Catholics than by Protestants." Mr. Redmond thinks that it is little likely that they would attempt any startling innovation, whether in law or administration. "Economy." lie concludes, "would be the first concern of an .Irish Parliament, as it has been of the Irish County Councils."