HOME RULE BILL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10610, 17 April 1912, Page 5

HOME RULE BILL

CABLE NEWS

(United Fr«i Auotiation — 3ft El*&trie Tdtgraph—Copyright.)

MR BALFOUR SPEAKS

RIDICULES THE MEASURE.

(Received Last Night, 9.40 o'clock.)

LONDON, April 6. In the House of (Jlommons, replying to a question, tho .Right Hon. H. H. Aisquith eaid that the IriEh Legislature, after a tnennium, might alter the qualification of electors and the distribution without altering the number of members.

Mr A. J. Balfour, speaking before a crowded House, sarcastically paid a tribute to the dexterity of the Government in consulting the electors. He ridiculed the talk cf the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament being a. safeguard. He objected to Ireland being regarded as a mere hanger-on to a rich country, or ae a poor relation. They should view the United \ Kingdom as a whole, and not search [ too clogely whether any part contributed more than it took from the J Exchequer. He asked whetlier the constabulary, for which Britain would pay for a sexennium, would: be under British or Irish control. If the former, how could the Irish Executive be responsible for law and order? The Premier's initial Federal experiment was lop-isided and utterly unworthy of British statesmanship. He didnot believe that the English and Scottish members would support an insane Federal system, divided by Customs barriers. If Ireland could use the Custom© against,-'foreigners,, the Government would.be involved" in.appalling difficulties, arising from- a. reversal cf "Tflie true policy of national development. Great^sociar'communities felt that they must maintain j their position by integration, and not by disintegration. Continuing, Mr Balfour said , that South Africa realised her place in the Efmpire by rejecting a Home Rule 'Federation-.and adopting closer union. Mr Asquith'ts lop-sided federalism was only a fan" weather constitution. If tlhe Nationali&ts really believed that Ireland was a nation, they ought not to be content with..such a makeshift. He desired to see Ireland as free as England and Scotland, to co-operate in the Empire work. Hedeclared .-ifliat slie had such freedom un, der the present, system. ' Tlie Right Hon. Herbert Sa.rn.ueJ pointed out that ; Mr Balfour, in 1906*, described the granting of self-govern-ment to South Africa as a reckless scheme. He denied that the granting of Home ;Raile'had" led to separatioin .tendeii.<yes. Autonomy was essential

to Imperial' unity. , After accustoming Ireland to an expenditure on an English eoaile, it was indefensiblo to ijusk her to find the whole of the expenditure. Tho new Parliament, if not assisted, would be r faced with a finst year's deficit exceeding one-fifth, of the whole; - revenue,-: -At the same 1 time it woiUd be unjust to permanently saddle the 'British taxpayer..' He was convinced that when Ireland w.as< prosperous she would share the burden of Empire. If the Irish Government was able to economise it could remit any taxes it liked. It was impossible to give unfettered control of the Custom®, as that would ho inconsistent with the Government's general policy. '" •