Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1911. IRELAND UNDER HOME RULE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10243, 20 May 1911, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1911. IRELAND UNDER HOME RULE.

Mr John Redmond has been expressing his views of Ireland under Home Rule. "I believe," he said, "the working of an Irish Parliament would (be a great surprise to the people of this country. It would he very unlike what .they anticipate. There •would he a great deal of sober business and very few fireworks. In a isense there would be, less politics than at present. Hie questions arising will he concrete, such as: "Shall the railways of the country be nationalised or shall tliev not ?' 'How much money oan he profitably spent on drainage? land how .best shall our education system's be brought up-to-date?' Under present ' conditions no business man and no professional man- oan represent an Irish constituency, and do has Parliamentary work efficiently, without injuring his 'business or his profession. That, of course, is for mere geographical reasons; the time occupied in travelling from Ireland to London, and 'the isolation of one from the other. Yet everybody in Ireland would like to see more business men in our representation and we should undoubtedly get them. I think we should be in (favour of payment of rnemlbers out of the State funds, but that is a question which the Irish Parliament /should b? left free to settle for itI am conviinced that it will be, (found when the inattei' is investigated that the argument founded on. finance is the strongest of all an favour of Home Rule, and from the British standpoint quite as much as from the Irish, Able men, educated men, with a largo stake tin the country, would undoubtedly be chosen to represent Irish constituencies, and the question of religion would never nrire. What has kept them out of public life hitherto lias .been not the religion, but their opposition to the principle of Home Fade, Once an Irish Parliament is established that difference disappears. As to Pro-

te&tants receiving fair play, the entire history of Ireland indica/tes that tihey will. But beyond that I would gladly accept any safeguards which ■were consistent with ordinary democratic ,principles. As to the apprehensions whiclx one hears expressed in these matters, I honestly believe that 12 months' experience of Home ißule will lay such bogey® for ever."