Mr Cahir Healy: I beg to move, in page 2, line 1, to leave out "ten" and insert "four." This Amendment would limit the amount of the expenses to be allowed to the Governor from£10,000 to£4,000. My colleagues and I think that that is ample for his needs. There are now many suitable applicants in Northern Ireland and outside who would like to discharge these duties at the salary and expenses at present...
Mr Cahir Healy: I am coming to that. The petition was presented to him and he confided that he had been in Strabane incognito a little while ago; and the problem now arises, in what form did he appear in Strabane.
Mr Cahir Healy: I want to show that the previous holder of the office, at a salary of£8,000 a year, discharged his duties with efficiency and to the satisfaction of everybody concerned. I hope that that will be considered relevant. He went about, as I suppose a Governor should, opening parish bazaars and Orange halls. In Northern Ireland it is part of the duties of the Governor to open Orange halls. He...
Mr Cahir Healy: I am certain that the Duke of Abercorn, who was the leader of the Tories in Northern Ireland, opened many Orange halls.
Mr Cahir Healy: The salary the Governor had for that quarter of a century was£8,000. I am certain that on that salary he was able to go around doing all the ordinary duties, as well as opening Orange halls. He was the leader of the Tories for all that time. He also got the credit for bringing a number of industries to Northern Ireland. I am sure that he did his best. The name of the Duke of Abercorn was...
Mr Cahir Healy: Will these expenses be put before the House of Commons? Will we be able to see them?
Mr Cahir Healy: I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.
Mr Cahir Healy: The Northern Ireland Government have got completely out of the undertaking they gave in the 1920 Act They were obliged to pay£5,000 towards the Governor's salary. The Joint Exchequer Board, which I believe is in a unique position in that it meets only every 10 years, has reduced the liability of the Northern Ireland Government to£2,000. Now the Northern Ireland Government want to get out of...
Mr Cahir Healy: I beg to move, in page 4, line 1, to leave out "removal."
Mr Cahir Healy: Yes. The Northern Ireland Government seek to get rid of certain responsibilities in respect of certain appointments. The Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Northern Ireland Act, 1922, can be put into force any time the Government please. It is abrogated for the moment, but only temporarily. The Northern Ireland Government can prohibit the holding of inquests by coroners on dead bodies in...
Mr Cahir Healy: Can the hon. and gallant Member tell me for what purposes the Northern Ireland Government want to prohibit the holding of an inquest?
Mr Cahir Healy: Section 10 (1, a) says that the Minister may prohibit the holding of inquests by coroners on dead bodies in any area of Northern Ireland specified in the order, either absolutely or except in such circumstances or on such conditions as may be specified in the order; or, prohibit the holding of any particular inquest specified in the order…
Mr Cahir Healy: It says in subparagraph (c) that the Minister may: Provide for the duties of a coroner and a coroner's jury (or either of them) as respects any inquest prohibited by the order…
Mr Cahir Healy: I would draw the attention of the hon. and gallant Member for Belfast, North (Lieut.-Colonel Hyde) to what the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act said. He has tried to convey the idea to the Committee that the simple question here is that the Northern Ireland Government desire powers for coroners to hold inquests without a jury. It is the very opposite. That Government want to get rid of...
Mr Cahir Healy: Everybody disapproves of Ireland.
Mr Cahir Healy: The hon. Lady the Member for Down, North (Mrs. Ford) has spoken of the popularity of Lord Wakehurst, an Englishman. She apparently forgets that for a far longer period we had as Governor the Duke of Abercorn, an Irishman, and at one time the leader of her party. Apparently eaten bread is soon forgotten and an Englishman from across the water is more popular with her side than an Irishman who...
Mr Cahir Healy: He never asked for an increase.
Mr Cahir Healy: During the last three days we have heard many interesting speeches on agriculture and defence, and now we are debating colonial affairs. It is because I am deeply interested in the peace of the world and in peace at home that I intrude for a very few minutes this afternoon to suggest that here there is a serious anomaly. We are, apparently, very interested in matters of peace abroad, but we...
Mr Cahir Healy: Our geographical division.
Mr Cahir Healy: And the Irish.
