I object to this tax being put on periodicals that are published inside the State at weekly or lesser intervals. It redounds to the financial credit and betterment of newspapers outside the State but which circulate here. I object to it particularly as I find that some papers published outside the State will be benefited by the passing of the Resolution at the expense of their competitors here, papers which contain information that no paper in this State would be allowed to publish. I have in front of me a paper which, in its issue for March 7th, on one page has an advertisement about fuel from this country, an advertisement with regard to fisheries from this country, an advertisement with regard to dog licences from Northern Ireland, an advertisement about local government from Northern Ireland, and, finally, an advertisement which asks the people to do all they can in a particular way as by doing so they are helping to smash Hitler and win the war, which, of course, no paper in this country would be allowed to publish. All that paper needs is to get some sort of an advertisement from whatever republican group there is in this country and derive revenue from the people concerned, and it will be exempted from the taxation which is applied to home-produced newspapers.
Deputy Corry's national heart will be wrung by hearing that this paper, which is preferentially treated, carries in its issue of April 11th an advertisement as follows:—
"CIVIL AUTHORITIES (SPECIAL POWERS) ACTS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1922 AND 1933.
Whereas there is reason to believe that assemblies of persons have been or about to be convened for the purpose of holding meetings or processions in Northern Ireland to commemorate the Rebellion of Easter Week, 1916, or for the promotion of the objects of the Irish Republican Army, or any other unlawful association:
And whereas there is reason to apprehend that such assemblies of persons and the holding of such meetings or processions will give rise to grave disorder or conduce to a breach of the peace or promote disaffection and thereby cause undue demands to be made upon the police force:
Now, therefore, I, the Right Honourable Sir Richard Dawson Bates, Bart., D.L., M.P., Minister of Home Affairs for Northern Ireland, being the civil authority under the said Acts, do hereby, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 4 of the Regulations made under the authority of the above-mentioned Acts, prohibit the holding of any such assemblies, meetings or processions in Northern Ireland during the period from the 9th day of April, 1941, to the 16th day of April, 1941, both dates inclusive.
Given under my hand at Belfast this 7th day of April, 1941.
R. DAWSON BATES,
Minister of Home Affairs
for Northern Ireland,
Civil Authority."
If the Deputy wants anything in the nature of incongruity, that issue of the Derry Journal had laudatory articles with regard to the rebellion of 1916. It did not think it any disgrace to publish a laudation about the rebellion of 1916 and to receive payment for publishing a notice prohibiting meetings in Northern Ireland for that purpose. I object to that type of discrimination. I object also to the further discrimination with regard to advertisements, but that is a matter that can be raised elsewhere. For the reasons I have given I object to this tax being imposed on the home-produced newspapers.