The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1887. THE IRISH QUESTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2602, 19 May 1887, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1887. THE IRISH QUESTION.

The Irish question is now being brought forward somewhat promi.' ncntly before tho public, of Now Zealand. Tho other day it was submitted to the House of Bepresentatives by the genial Mr Bracken, and this week it has been discussed in Wellington by a greater personage, the Earl of Aberdeen. This nobleman bears not only a name which is historical in political annals, but he has also, as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, one of the highest appointments in the Empire, He is sympathetic with Mr Gladstone in his scheme for Irish selfgovernment, and is almost as popular with the Irish national party as the Grand Old Man himself, or as the mysterious Mr Parnell. Lord Aberdeen evidently believes that the time will shortly arrivo when Home Kule .will be granted. There aro many aspects of the Irish question, and in the speech which the Earl has just made, he only touches upon one or two. He expressed an opinion that Mr Gladstone's policy would bring happiness and contentment Irlshi una cement rather than loosen their attachment to the Queen, but it is well known thai £1)0 Irish tti'fl not unanimous in their demai)4 for Homo Rule, and that to extend it..to thorn woukV create the bitterest , hostiiitp, in the breasts of a very large section of the Irish nation. Even if the disaffected Home Rulera: could be : made happy by the exercise of larger political powers, and thia is doubtful,' 68 the material condition of the people' is an extremely miserable one, and political changes woujd not relieve the privation and want of a yepy lfjrge proportion of the community, but, assuming they wore satisfied, how would the Earl of Aberdeen conciliate and content the million of protostants who reside in the green isle ? 'Then,again, the question of Home Rule has to be so determined that it will bo applicable not only to one discontented portion of the Empire, but to all sections of it. Mr Gladstone has not yet offered a form of Home Rule which will be applicable to Scotland and Wales, and. to any other portion of the British islands which may claim' the privileges wliich the Irish National Party seek to obtain. '