The King, accompanied by the Queen, went to Belfast on
Wednesday to open the first Parliament of Northern Ireland. He had a most enthusiastic reception at the hands of the loyal Ulster people. The King's Speech was admirably attuned to the omission. He said that he could not depute the duty of giving Ireland his earnest prayers and good wishes in the new era. It was a great and critical time for the Six Counties, for the rest of Ireland, and for the Empire. "Most certainly," said the King, " there is no wish nearer my own heart than that every man of Irish birth, whatever be his creed and wher- ever be his home, should work in loyal co-operation with the free communities on which the British Empire is based." He hoped that his corning to Ireland might be the first step towards
an end of strife amongst her people. He appealed to all Irish- men to pause, to stretch out the hand of forbearance and eon- hi 'ration, to forgive and forget." He trusted that he might sogn be able to open a similar Parliament in Southern Ireland. " The future lies in the hands of my Irish people themselves." ery right-thinking man will echo the King's hope that the h people, North and South, will learn to work together " in one Parliament or two."
