HOME NEWS.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1767, 8 October 1886, Page 2

HOME NEWS.

+ Speaking in the House Mr G'adstone said the conduct of the )iish policy should remain iv the hands of the Government and under responsibility. If it was supposed anything that had happened had produced tue slightest change iv his convictions regarding the late Government's I» ish policy he was afraid he was unable to afiovd the glighest encouragement on that point. (Cheers.) What |'.iad happened had rather confirmed Iris strong belief that he had not erred in the main principles of his scheme. He thought the late Opposition had hardly dealt fairly with tbe Government iv pressing them for their Irish po'icy, but he would not retaliate. The government of Ireland is the question of the day, and the sooner it is settled the sooner will the House be able to dispose of the arrears of legislation before it • (Cheers.) Churchill said he hoped the state* ment be was about to make would satisfy the Honse. After taunting Gladstone at the readiness to resort to coercion, which he said, the ex-Pieoaier had in former times displayed, he stated the Government had co<ne to lUfc «Mtttl«Moß - »)■*' tUß Of coercive measures for Ireland would be unwise. The. Ministry wished the question of local government to be treated aa a question affecting tbe United Kingdom. In regard to Belfast, the Government would take care that crime did not become chronic there, as it was in some other parts of Ireland, nor would the Government tolerate an attack upon the Royal Irish constabulary, whose services were deserving of praise. The Ministry was determined to restore order in Belfast, and would shrink from no responsibility in order to attain that end without delay. Regarding the land question, the Government was not prepared to adopt the judicial rents fixed by the Land Commissioners, as they were considered too high for ill present purposes, and the Ministty would take their stand on the Land Act of 1881 as a final settlement At the same time the Government had decided to appoint a royal commission (derisive laughter on the Parnellite benches) to make careful inquiry into the working of the existing land system in Ireland. The Government did not intend to deal with the land question by making any reduction in rent ; that was contrary to their policy. The Government intended to devote the recess to the careful consideration of the question of providing a system of local government for all three kingdoms. They hoped when Parliament rcasse.ni bled in February to be prepared to submit definite proposals on that most important of all questions.