24 DECEMBER 1921, Page 2

He related that when Sir James Craig had come to

see him before the Settlement had been agreed upon, he had said to Sir James, " You will be given an alternative to come into an All-Irish Parliament or to pay our taxes." Sir James Craig had replied, " We would jump at paying your taxes." That was the position of Ulster, and he sympathized with it. As Ulster had been allowed to contract out he thought that in the circumstances the friends of Ulster had obtained all that they had a right to demand. Much nonsense had been talked about the advantage which the Irish Free State would enjoy in low taxation. As a matter of fact, there could never be low taxation without good government. It would be time to talk about low taxation when the Free State had proved its efficiency.