THE IRISH DEPORTATIONS.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—Referring to the protracted discusiion of the " Deporta-
tion to Ireland" episode in the House of Commons on 12th inst., one cannot but reflect how greatly Parliamentary time might have been saved had the Attorney-General's most lucid and informative exposition of the relations begotten of the Treaty now existing between the respective Govern- ments of Great Britain and the Irish Free State been given at the commencement rather than at the conclusion of the debate.
The Attorney-General (Sir Douglas Hogg) said :—
" In the opinion of His Majesty's Government, when we have given self-government to any country we intend that the self- governing power shall decide these things, and it is not for us to dictate to the Free State Government what is best for them, it is for them to tell us and we act upon it. The Irish Free State Government has told us in this ease that in their opinion it was most desirable, and indeed essential, that we should take the action that we have taken."—Official Report, Vol. 161, No. 20, col. 1189.
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