MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

RISH NATIONALISTS. THE DANGER OF REBELLION. London. March 0. . The Nationalists passed a resolution that Mr. Lloyd George's speech i.ook Uj. a position which involved the denial of sclf-Govermnen f . to Ireland for ever. It laid down the principle that a small minority in Ulster should veto self-go-vernment, for a united Ireland. That is a position to which the representatives of Ireland can never assent. Mr. Lloyd George asserted that he had never changed his position on this question of the so-called coercion of Ireland. This was not true. He was a party to drafting the original Home Rule Bill, which applied to nil Ireland He was a party to the rejection of the amendments excluding Ulster. When under pressure Mr. Lloyd George and his Government weakly yielded to Sir Edward Carson's threats of rebellion wo agreed, on Mr. Lloyd George's pledge, that the Government should see the settlement, through at any cost. The negotiations in July referred strictly to temporary war arrangements with the express understanding that the year after the war things should revert to the status quo ante. Mr. Lloyd George's speech undoubtedly tended to intensify the distrust of the, pledges of British Ministers . now .;o widely spread in Ireland and had the most serious effect in strengthening the power of the revolutionary movement. The situation in Ireland and the Empire created by the. speech was one of terrible seriousness. The action of the British Government since the coalition in May, 1015, made the task of carrying on the constitution movement in Ireland almost impossible. It can yet be saved only by the active assistance of all level-headed Nationalists in Ireland and the aid of the millions of the Irish race .in the Dominions and United .States. To them we appeal most earnestly to aid those who have rescued Irelana ,from being Germany's catspaw and too!, and are now struggling against terrible odds to keep open the road to Irish liberty through peaceful constitutional means, a struggle in which we are hampered by the British Government, which plays into the hands of the Irish proGerman revolutionaries with a stnpid perversity worthy of the worst reactionaries.

NATIONALISTS' MANIFESTO. WILL OPPOSE THE GOVERNMENT. London. March 0. The Nationalists have issued a manifesto to the President of the United States, and the Prime Ministers of Australia', New Zealand, and Canada, staring that Mr. George's attitude was a breach of faith with' the Irish party and the nation, and that while they are resolved to do all in their power to aid in ending the the Nationalists are bouiul to oppose the Government by every means. In the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law said he saw no advantage ir re■■lm'.ng yesterday's discussion gn the '•h question. NATIONALISTS IN OPPOSITION. London, March 8. The Daily Chronicle says the Nationalists will adopt nil altitude of oppusi--1 ion and demand two days' discussion of he Irish estimates and oppose an ex--msion of Parliament's life. ULSTER'S ATTITUDE. Londono, March 9. Dublin and the country is calm, and realises that a chapter of Home Rule has closed, necessitating that the problem be re-approached by new methods and from new viewpoints. The leaders are restrained and anxious not to aggravate the gravity of the situation. A vast body of Moderates - will welcome any effort to bring, together nofth ami south. The Ulster press dislike Mr Asquith's commission proposal, an.! threaten to refuse any scheme of national Irish service if headquartered in Dublin, because they bitterly resent official Nationalists's war aattitude. ORGANISING RESOURCES. London, March !). At Lord Devonport.'s instance the Produce Exchange convened a meeting of the principal provision firms throughout tin; country. It was decided to fix maximuin prices for butter, cheese, bacon and lard and to prohibit, intertrading. k It porters must only sell to wholesalers and retailers and not to importers, except without, profit or commission. Similarly wholesalers may only sell to retailers, who may only sell to consumers. Mr Lloyd George has sent a personal letter to every farmer urging him to .cow every acre and so defeat the last hope of the Prussian submarines. The Imperial Institute has established a Department of Inquiry into the Empire's minerals. FATS AND OILS TO BE CONTROLLED A. & jtf.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Received March 10, 7 p.id. London, March 9. The Press Bureau states that the Minister of Munitions is assuming control of all fats, oils, and oilseeds products, including oilcake, soap, and margerine, but excluding butter, lard, and essential oils. RESTRICTED PETROL SUPPLIES. Received March 11, 5.5 p.m. London, March 10. The Press Bureau states that with a view to restricting import tonnage, owing to the considerable increase in the consumption of petrol and its substitutes, owners of motor vessels have been warned that the monthly quantity of petrol and its substitues used must not exceed the quantity of motor spirit authorised to be purchased.