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and the Unity Footbail Clubs, both of this town. All interested in the game are invited to witness this contest. as it is sure to be very interesting. We also hope c¢he D. No. 1 will appear acainst the other Clubs for the seasbdn. —C'om. [ELEaR 2 MS. ST, CROIIX STATION. London, Dee. 13th. —Aunother collapse in the shipping industry is announced at Cardiff. The Stella Shipping Company- has eomoe o preief and its capital of £3OO, 000 has been wiped out. The loss 18 attributed by the management of the Qtellas Shipping Company so ithe pre gapt oppressive taxation -and the extra- orcinary depression of the shipping in- dustry. I.onden, Dee. 13th. —Strong resent- mont has been expressed at the action of the Govt, of South Afriea in appolniing q paturalized German, Karl Spithaus, as the Souih Afriean Trade Commissioner for Forth and West Kurope, according to a cabie from Reuier’s Capewwn corres- pondent, Sanantonio, Texas, Dec. 13th. - Wire- less warnings, relayed from the city of Wexico to point Isahel, picked up tonignt at a local national guard radio station, stated that ‘‘Popocatepetl’’ is in violent erruptior and all towns in the vicinity of (he voleano have heen warned that the erupticns are the most serious ot uny since the voleano suddenly started to spout Java and ashes two days azo. London, Dec. 13th.- The correspon- dence between Mr. Lloyd George and Qir James Craig exchanged during the past months on the lrish question was made public today by Mr. Lloyd George Mr. Lloyd George’s first letter, dated Nov. 10th. recognized the danger that patronage in departments controlled by a common legislature might ke uanfair- ly exercised on religious or other grounds and that Ulster might be imperilled by an all-Ireland Parliament controlling the tariffs. The letter expresses a desire to consult Ulster especially on the appoint- ment of all-Ireland officials in the North- ern area, on the collection of revenues in the Northern area and on measures saf 2- ouarding exports against diserimination. Qir James Craig’s reply, dated Nov. 11th said that Ulster for many years had re- sisted an all-Ireland Parliament and that her dislike of such a body has pot dimin- ished by the local investigations confer- red upon her by the act of 1920. Ulster was ceriain, he declared, that no paper safeguards could proteci her against mal- administration. He considered that the reserved powers, instead of being given to an all-Ireland Govt. should be con- ferred respectively upon the North and South, within their areas. The principle underlying the act of 1920, he said, was equality of status and powers for two Govt. in Ireland and the principle should, Sl. L Ll 2 V]S in the opinion of the Govt of Northern Iveland, b 2 observad in the transfer of reserved services In coneclusion, he said the Govt of Northera lreland desirves to express its firm convietion that the timne has not yet arrived when the cause of peace in Ireland, which it {erventiy de sires to further by .all m=2ans in Its pow er, can be promoted by establishing an all-Ireland Parliament. Such a coustita- tion can only en naifrom muthal eonfoers ences. Whe. the uume for it ecomes, the provisions of the aet of 1920 wiill prove sutficient ior the purpose of bringing it into existence. Replying on the 14th, Mr. lloyd G:orge, expressing rvegrat at Ulsters refusal to entera confer- ence with conditions, argued thai two dominions in Ireland, were inde fendible. The s*atus of a dominion he pointed out, was based upon the grad ual amalgamatioy of [al2e tertitories in Lo natural units ot seif-Government. A place could not be claimed for two Ire- lands in tae League of Nations, or the Imperial conierenee, he said. If [y:land were represeanted in them, it must be that part of Ireland with the largest pop ulation an?! are:. The same status for the six counties separately could not be reconeilo1 with the Empires internal and foreigi intervests, Mr. Lloyd George’s ar- gumen: ran. Three Governments in the British Isl:s would be injurious to Brit- ish trade and rinons to ireland. He cited the sta us of exntral Hurope as an exam- ple of :‘he evils arising from new fron- tiers cutiiny nacaral eiccuits of eom nereeq, The majority oi ti e Irish people woulid never acqep: suen a settlement, he de clare! d: appealed aiso for eonsidera- tion of the welfare of "he minorities in th: two seciions. . Writinz on Nov 17ca, the Ulsi:r Premier said i would be dis- honest tc iscuss an a@ll-Ireland Parlia- ment, since under no circumstances would Ulster accepi a position of permanent su- bordination, to the Sint Fein. He argued that 90 perceni ol Ulsters trade was with Great Britain and that more harmonius relations wouid result by controi at the hands oi «ivea: Beitain and Ulster than if the control exercised by a Parliament dominated by the Sinn Fein. You point- ed out the great difficulties of creating a Northern dominion in Ireland, Sir James eontinued, and you refer to this as our counter proposals. That deserip- tion is not quite accurate. We feel that the arguments you use as objecticns o two dominions apply with equal force to the creation of one. We only put forward our suggestiohs because we are convinced that if once you violate the fiscal unity of the Unit- ed Kinglcm, it makes relatively little differsnce (o create (wo units, instead of one. Your proposal involved the placing of Ulster under the Sinn Fein whieli, is an insurmountable difliculty. I desired to be helpful by pointing out a method by which it this concession is to be made to the South and the West, it can also be r ade to the North with- out creating the grave results indicated but you must not argue fron: that that we in the slightest degree modify our con- victions that your proposals embcdied in the act of last year are the only safe and sound plan, both for Great Britaln and Ireland. ''Tosum up, if vou force Ulster to leave the United Kingdom against t"e wishes of her people and she desires to be leftin a position to make her own fiscal and Internasional policy conform as nearly as possible with the policy of the Mother Country, and retain British traditions, British currency, British ideals and the Eng- lish language and in this way render the disadvantages entalled by separa- tion from Great Britain as slight as is possible. Concluding the correspondence, Sir James wrote on Nov. 20th appointing the 23rd of that month for their inter- view. Mr. Lloyd George on Del. sth sent a letter to the Ulster Premier, en- closing the articles of agreement signed by the British and Sinn Fein, negotia- tors and declarirg ‘‘there are two alter- natives between which the Government of Northern Ireland are invited to choose Under the first, retaining ali their ex- isting powers Ulster will enter the Irish Free State with such additional guar- tees as may be arranged in conference. Under the second alternative, she will still retain her present powers but in re- spect to all other marters not already delegated to ker, will share the rights and obligations of Great Britain. In the latter case, however. we should feel un- able to defend the existing boundary which must be subject to revision on the one side and on the other y a boundary commission under the terms oi the in strument. London, Dee. 14ih.-—The Imperial Par- liament gath:red in a special session to- day to concern itself with the solitary subject of Ireland, thereby establishing a precedent in Parliamentary annals. The session was opened at noon. It was at- tended by all brilliant display of pagean- try marking state openings. Fears for their Majesties safety and threats of un- toward demonstrations resulted in un- paralied precautionary measures being taken at the last state opening of Parlia- ment ten months ago. 'T'odayv there was no suggestion of'extracrdinsry measures. The King’s speech iellows. ‘'l have summoned you to meet at this unusual time in order that the articles of agree- ment which have been signed by my Ministers and the Irvish delegation can at once be submitted for your approval No other business wili be brought before you at this present session. It was with heartfelt joy that 1 learned of the agree- ment now stbmitted to you. 1 pray that the strife of cenfuries may be ended and that Ireland as a free partner in the Com- monwealth of Nations forming the Brit- ish Empire will secure fulfilment of her national ideals’’.