In view of Sir Antony MacDonnell's and Mr. Long's recent
utterances, interest attaches to a communication in Tuesday's Daily Chronicle. In this a Dublin correspondent, without vouching for the exact accuracy of details, undertakes to forecast the proposed Devolution scheme which is understood to have been drafted for submission to the Cabinet. According to the writer, the Legislative Union will remain unimpaired and untouched, the Irish representatives at West. minster and the powers of the Imperial Parliament remain- ing as at present. It is proposed, however, to create an Irish Council, directly elected, of a hundred and three members, plus forty-eight Councillors directly elected for larger areas by electors having a rateable value of more than £20. For these latter seats both Peers and clergymen will be eligible. The Chief Secretary will be ex officio Chairman, and, as repre- senting the Lord-Lieutenant, will send for the leader of the party having a majority, and in consultation with him appoint the chief heads of Departments, of whom the bead of the Finance Department will occupy a position analogous to that of Premier. He will also fulfil the functions . of Speaker, and be the spokesmen of the Irish Council and its Ministers in the House of Commons, the Irish Council sitting when the Imperial Parliament was not in Session. All Irish legislation will still come before that House, but the Council will deal with the initial stages of Irish private Bills.
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