§ 2.35 p.m.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, since your Lordships separated at the end of July this House has suffered a grievous loss in the death of one of its most distinguished Members, the Duke of Abercorn. Here at Westminster we did not know the noble Duke so well: no man, however public-spirited he may be, can be in two places at once. But in Ulster, to the welfare of whose people he devoted his whole life, he played an historic rôle. He became their first Governor in 1922, and he remained their Governor unlit 1945, a long and stirring period in the history of Northern Ireland. He had courage, a shrewd common sense and a simple kindliness which endeared him in a rare degree to the people of Ulster: he loved them, and they loved him. He was not a man who liked the limelight. For this reason he was not known here as well as he should have been. But he did a great work for his country, and it is well that we should pay our tribute to his memory to-day. Our sympathy will, I know, my Lords, go out to the Duchess, who shared so fully in his work, and to his children.
§ 2.37 p.m.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I should like to identify noble Lords on this side of the House with every word that the noble Marquess the Leader of the House has uttered. Death has laid its heavy hand upon us during this Recess; there are many Members whom we have lost. The convention of the House—no doubt a wise convention—is that we should refer only to those who have occupied certain great positions in the State, but I am sure that I speak for the whole House when I say that it does not mean 1242 that, because we follow that wise convention, we have not others in our mind at the same time. The Duke of Abercorn reminds us of this fact: that those who are shallow enough to think that because we do not see noble Lords at Westminster taking part in our activities here, therefore they are not doing useful service, are taking a completely short-sighted view. Here is an illustration of a man who was, quite naturally, able to devote only a smalltime to the service of this House, but who, in another capacity, was rendering most useful service to his State and to the country. The fact that for some twenty-three years he held in Northern Ireland the great position which he did hold, and the fact, which I think is common knowledge, that he was offered the opportunity of serving His Majesty as Governor-General in Canada, but declined to accept the position because he felt that he ought not to leave Ulster, is a tribute to his simple sense of duty. His task was, indeed, well done. I would associate myself with every word the noble Marquess has said.
§ 2.39 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, noble Lords on these Benches desire to associate themselves wilt the tributes that have been paid to the Duke of Abercorn. Not many of us are left now who were colleagues of his in the House of Commons in the early years of the present century, when Ireland, and particularly Northern Ireland, was the centre of bitter controversies. He served in that House from 1900 to 1913. He then succeeded to his Peerage, and afterwards was a Member of your Lordshipsh' House for forty years. But during the greater part of that time he held the distinguished office of Governor-General of Northern Ireland, a country where his heart lay, and where he was so conspicuous a figure in its public life. That fact prevented his attendance here, so that few of us remember to have seen him or heard him participate in our debates. All his life he had a very high sense of public duty, and he had an uprightness of character which commanded confidence and respect among friends and opponents alike. It was this quality which gave such high value to his long service to the State. We join in expressing our sympathies to the Duchess, and to his family.