IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1921, Page 6

IRELAND.

A CRITICAL STAGE. STATEMENT BY SIR J. CRAIG, By Telegraph.—-Press Assn—Copyright. London, Nov. 29. Sir James Craig informed the Ulster Parliament that by Tuesday next the negotiations will have broken down, or the Prime Minister will send him new proposals. Meanwhile the rights of Ulster will in no way be sacrificed or compromised. Sir James said he told Mr. Lloyd George on the first day of their meeting that the Government proposals were utterly impossible, also that not merely Ulster, but Britain and the Empire were affected. If the people of Ulster entertained the proposals they must get someone else to lead them. Replying to a question in the Ulster Parliament Sir James Craig said Cabinet, owing to Sinn Fein outrages, was given authority for the enrolment of 5700 special constabulary. No matter what the cost the Government was determined to protect life and property. After announcing the impossibility of Mr. Lloyd George’s proposals Sir James Craig, addressing Parliament, said he had no means of learning Mr. Bonar Law’s intention for the future, but he ventured to predict tht if ever Ulster found itself in a difficulty similar to that from which she had now emerged she would not call in vain upon MrBonar Law to take up Ulster’s cause. If it would help the caihse of peace in Ireland he would not press for the immediate publication of the correspondence between the Ulster Cabinet and the British Government, but if he observed any necessity for publishing it he would not ask their permission, no matter what the consequences were. Sir James Craig said the Government's scheme was for an All Ireland Parliament. “We will not have it,” he said. He warned the British Cabinet to understand fully that this was not alone the determination of the Ulster Cabinet but of the whole of the Ulster people. They would not contemplate going under a Sinn Fein Government in the present circumstances. Ulster would be neither intimidated nor coerced. They were not blocking a settlement. Sinn Fein now had a week ip. which to say whether it would continue to work for a settlement or if negotiations were to bo terminated.

Sir James Craig added that owing to Sinn Fein outrages in the past week arrangements had be6n made with the Imperial authorities to send additional troops to Ulster.