HC Deb 06 March 1922 vol 151 cc1038-40

(e) Facilities in the neighbourhood of the above ports for coastal defence by air.

OIL FUEL STORAGE.
(f) Haulbowline To be offered for sale to commercial companies under guarantee that purchasers shall maintain a certain minimum stock for Admiralty purposes.
Rathmullen

2. A convention shall be made between the British Government and the Government of the Irish Free State to give effect to the following conditions:—

  1. (a) That submarine cables shall not be landed or wireless stations for communication with places outside Ireland be established except by agreement with the British Government; that the existing cable landing rights and wireless concessions shall not be withdrawn except by agreement with the British Government; and that the British Government shall be entitled to land additional submarine cables or establish additional wireless stations for communication with places outside Ireland.
  2. (b) That lighthouses, buoys, beacons, and any navigational marks or navigational aids shall be maintained by the Government of the Irish Free State as at the date hereof and shall not be removed or added to except by agreement with the British Government.
  3. (c) The war signal stations shall be closed down and left in charge of care and maintenance parties, the Government of the Irish Free State being offered the option of taking them over and working them for commercial purposes subject to Admiralty inspection and guaranteeing the upkeep of existing telegraphic communication therewith.

3. A Convention shall be made between the same Governments for the regulation of Civil Communication by Air.

Amendment proposed: After the word "Ireland" ["Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland"], insert the words "dated the sixth day of December, nineteen hundred and twenty-one."—[Mr. Churchill.]

Mr. E. HARMSWORTH

This omission of the date in the Schedule is an extraordinary example of the carelessness that was shown in drawing up this document.

Mr. FRANCE

Economy.

Mr. HARMSWORTH

I do not see where the economy comes in. I should have thought it an example of carelessness and inefficiency. This is an exceedingly extraordinary Amendment, because the date is mentioned nine times in the Schedule. After mentioning the date nine times, to leave it out at the end of the Schedule seems to me extraordinary carelessness on the part of the draughtsman.

Amendment agreed to.

The folio-winy Amendment stood on the Order Paper in the names of Mr. E. HARMSWORTH and Mr. PENNE-FATHER: At end of Schedule insert (Signed) On behalf of the British Delegation,

On behalf of the Irish Delegation, 6th December, 1921.

Mr. E. HARMSWORTH

At this late hour, and after the treatment the Committee has received, I shall not move this Amendment, but I shall do so on the Report stage.

Mr. CHURCHILL

May I suggest that, in the interval which elapses between now and the Report stage, the hon. Gentleman should endeavour to secure accuracy in the spelling of the Irish names? Every single name is misspelt.

The CHAIRMAN

The right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Churchill) is out of order.

Mr. DEVLIN

Should I be in order in moving that we now start an Irish class to teach these Gentlemen how to spell the names?

Schedule, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported; as amended, to be considered To-morrow, and to be printed. [Bill 45.]

The remaining Orders were read and postponed.

It being after half-past Eleven of the Clock, Mr. SPEAKER adjourned the House, without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned at Five Minutes before Twelve o'Clock.