NOTES FROM NORTHERN IRELAND.
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By Our Ulster Correspondent.
ONMay 10th, when the general strike was still in being and there was a possibility of its operations being extended to Northern Ireland, a largely attended meeting of the Ulster Division of the Motor Trade Association waS held in Belfast, attended by representatives from almost every county in Northern Ireland, at which Meeting the following resolution was unanimously passed :—" That in view of the possibility of the general strike extending to Northern Ireland, we, the Motor Trade Association, of the Ulster Division, hereby offer our services to the Government Jo assist in the maintenance of essential services, especially road transport," and it was decided to send copies of the resolution to the Prime Minister and the Right Hon. J. ;Milne Barbour, Minister of Commerce.'
.A.t a luncheon following the annual meeting of the Ulster Motor Coach Owners' Association, held on May 6th, in Belfast, an address, emphasized by a wallet of Treasury notes, Was. presented to the president, Mr. W. P., O'Neill, in recognition of his vigilant and vigorous services to the cause of mechanical road transport in the Northern State. A peculiarity about this presentation lies in the fact that it was richly deserved; for, as Mr. James Boyd, secretary to the association, truly observed, "Only for,the wise guidance of Mr. O'Neill, the coaching industry in Northern Ireland would have been in a parlous condition to-day, as he was foremost in all the work of organization that was necessary to put it on a Sure foundation." .
The vice-president, Mr. T. P. McCrea, J.P., who presided at the luncheon, was also quite sure that the presentation was richly deserved ; for he said, "In him the association had a great friend, and one who had championed their cause from the beginning to the end. No other industry in this country,' or any other, had been so nearly crushed out as had the motorbus industry, but Mr. O'Neill had come to the rescue and had succeeded in helping the infant business until it had reached what might be called its maturity, with the promise of reaching a ripe old age. He had been the) specialist who diagnosed the disease and found the cure." The subsequent loud applause proved that this was the mind of the meeting. When Mr. Cromie, solicitor to the association, had dealt kindly with Mr. O'Neill and very faithfully with the Ulster Government in its attitude toward motor matters, and when Councillor McLaughlin and Mr. Cready had thrown a couple of handsome bouquets at the president, Mr. O'Neill cranked up rapidly and expressed his gratitude to the members in felicitous and instructive terms.