PUBLIC WORKS LOANS [MONEY]. (Hansard, 23 February 1927)

§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

Before we part from this Resolution, I would like to make a few comments with respect to the Irish Free State which arise out of the explanation given to mo by the right hon. Gentleman on the previous Order—the Second Reading of the Public Works Loans Bill. The right hon. Gentleman suggested that I had barely kept in order in making certain observations and putting certain questions about the financial position a the Irish Free State. I should have thought that as this is a 20-years' arrangement, that I was pretty much in order. However, I made my remarks, I hope, in a good-humoured way, as I do now. I cannot refrain on the Committee stage of this Resolution from pointing out, as a lesson for all of us, that here we are in 1927 discussing in the calmest way and in a good-natured atmosphere, the payment of £600,000 a year for 20 years from the Irish Free State Government to the British Exchequer. Older Members of this House will remember some of the all-night sittings which we had, and some of the heated scenes, when the two benches below the Gangway on the Opposition side, now occupied with so much grace by the hon. Member for West Middlesbrough (Mr. T. Thomson), were occupied by the serried hosts of the Irish Nationalists. The point to remember is, that the right hon. Gentleman and his party opposite always answered the pleas that financial arrangements such as this should be left to the Irish Free State Government, by saying, "If you allow these people to arrange their own finances, and so forth, there will be anarchy, misery, civil war and the breakup of the Empire." Now, we are arranging to receive £600,000 a year for 20 years from the Irish Free State, and nobody on the benches opposite thinks of questioning where the money comes from. It shows how extremely bad at 1827 prophecy the party opposite is when it comes to great affairs of the Empire.