HOME RULE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2765, 21 March 1910, Page 5

HOME RULE.

LORD DUDLEY’S UTTERANCES CRITICISED. United Presb Association —Copyright MELBOURNE, March 19. Correspondence arising out of public criticism by Mr. Snowball, head of the Orange Order, of a speech delivered by Lord Dudley, Governor-General, when opening the Catholic College, has been published’. Mr. Snowball, in the course of his remarks, said that Lord Dudley might have seen fit to say he would never countenance anybody who was not in favor of giving the Irish separate rule, adding “Lord Dudley might have thought his position as GovernorGeneral justified him in saying such things.” Lord Dudley’s private secretary wrote pointing out the difference between Lord Dudley’s actual remarks, which were that he would “take no part with any organisation or 'body which had not for its purpose the ad'vancement, progress, and prosperity of Ireland,” and those attributed to him. Mr. Snowball, justifying his criticism added: “It is distinctly offensive to a large section of people for their Gover-nor-General to publicly throw his necessarily weighty official influence into the advocacy and encouragement of additional home rule for Ireland.” The private secretary’s response to this was that Lord Dudley did not propose to discuss desirability either of home rule or separate government of Ireland. He had expressed no opinion on the former. The latter he had advocated when in a position to take part in political controversy, but- never, then or now, had he any sympathy with a change of government of Ireland which involved or would in the slightest lead to separation from the Empire. The correspondence closes with a letter from Mr. Snowball, expressing plea, sure that he now perceives Lord Dudley had no real sympathy with’those who advocated Ireland’s separation from the United' Kingdom. .