TITHE-COLLECTING.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 2, Issue 125, 5 June 1895, Page 3

TITHE-COLLECTING.

A special correspondent of the Daily Nev.-s has supplied to that journal some graphic description of tithe-collecting in Wales, which show that the simple country folk of the principality make their contributions to the established church with a very indifferent grace. Thebailiffscharged with the duty of executing distress warrants appear to have had tolerably excitin3 times. In one case an officer, accompanied by a strong bodv of police, met with a very determined lenstance. The small land-holders collected in considerable force and armed themselves with knobby sticks to protect, as they put it, the rights of their neighbour. The bailiff and his protectors stood on one side, and the defenders on the other side of the boundary fence, and gazed at one another for some time. Finally the bailiff jumped over the fonce and plunged heavily down into the field. In an instant there was a howl, and the people were down upon him, and had he been unprotected, he would, probably, have fared very badly. But tho instant ho bad landed in tho hold tho polico dashed over to protect him. Already two or thrco men had Hung themselves upon him, and for a moment thore was a wild scrimmage, and a pitiful cry from tho women and children. It was only for a moment, however, and then tho assailants marched oil, and the bailiff with a slightly broken head, and a portion of the brass torn from his helmet, rose breathlessly but triumphant. Tho stronghold was takon, add the officer, under tho full escort of the police, was free to proceed at his loisuro round tho farm, and distrain on whatever he thought .sufficient to cover tho amount of tho tithe. Tho farmer, as tho trooped over his land, protested against the trespass, and called upon one of the superintendents present to turn off tho trespassers. This the officer declined to do, and tho farmer appealed to tho Press to mako it known that his protest was unheeded. It is scones of this sort that will give the Liberals a large majority in Wales at tho next general election.