IRELAND AND HOME RULE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9054, 1 April 1908, Page 5

IRELAND AND HOME RULE.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association —lS*' Electric Telegraph Copyright.

PRINCIPLE CONDITIONALLY AFFIRMED. A SCENE IN THE COMMONS. MEMBER REFERRED TO AS "COWARD AND CAD." Received March 31, 10.52 p.m. LONDON, March 31. In the House of Commons, Mr J. E. Redmond, Nationalist M.P., moved a resolution that the system of Government of Ireland is inefficient, extravagantly, costly, and productive of universal discontent and unrest, and thta the only solution was to give an Irish legislative executive control of all purely Irish affairs. He claimed that the resolution was necessary in order to free the Liberals at the next general election from unfortunate pledges which debarred the party of convinced Home Rulers from giving effectjto their convictions. Ireland would not be content with a half-way-house scheme. He eloquently pleaded for the right of the Irish to develop the resources of their country, and power to heal the wounds inflicted through class hatred and religious dissension. Earl Percy, Conservative M.P. for South Kensington, moved an amendment, declaring that "If the Imperial Parliament abandoned its undivided responsibility, it would injure the prospjrity of Ireland and imperil the security of Britain. Therefore this House is unalterably opposed to the creation of an Irish Parliament with a responsible executive." He declared that Home Rule was a losing cause, not merely because new advucates were becoming faint-hearted, but because the new ideal of a closer union with all parts of the Empire was firing the enthusiasm of the British people. There was no doubt which would win now that the success of the war of commerce depended on concentration i and union.

The Hon. A. Birrell, Chief Secretary for Ireland, said that Ireland could not wait indefinitely for urgent reforms. Unless there was to be something like Hell in Ireland —not murder and crime, but profound discontent, misery, and dislocation of society—something must be done. He believed that the aifairs of Ireland required Parliament's exclusive attention.

Mr S. A. Butcher, Conservative member for Cambridge ! University, on behalf of t.ie Protestant minority, declared that Home ituie would be not simply a political experiment, but a desperaie gamble with Imperial interests. Mr G. Clark, Conservative M.P. for Belfast North, caused a scene by applying the epithets "ignorant and lazy" to the peasantry of the West of Ireland.

Mr John O'Connor, Nationalist M.P. for North Kildare, challenged Mr Clark to repeat the words outside the House. He called Mr Clark a coward and a cad. The Deputy-Speaker "named" Mr O'Connor when he refused to withdraw the expression. Mr O'Connor, eventually, amid cheers from the Irish members, left the House. Mr A. J. Balfour, continuing the debate, denied the analogy between Ireland and the self-governing colonies. He reminded the House that the political process between the countries of modern times was one of integration not disintegration. The Hon. H. H. Asquith, Chancellor of the Exchequer, affirmed that he strongly favoured a Government with regard to purely local affairs. He was unable to vote for the motion because it contained no explicit recognition of the continued paramount supremacy of the Imperial Parliament. Besides the party could not proceed with Home Kule during the lifetime of the present Parliament. He intended to vote against the amendment because' it was barren.

Mr T. Healy, Nationalist member for Louth, North, violently attacked Mr Asquith. The amendment was rejected by 334 to 142, and the resolution carried by 315 to 157 after Mr J. A. Simon (Liberal) had moved the addition of the words "that the Home Rule Parliament must be subject to the supreme authority of the Imperial Parliament."