HUSH AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 94, 24 April 1891, Page 3

HUSH AFFAIRS.

London, March 28.

Easter finds England's Sovereign and Prime Minister both on French soil, most of the Ministry scattered over Europe, and scarcely anybody left to look after the Government except the permanent heads of departments. Balfour is enjoying himself immensely ; his occupation is almost gone in couseqnence of the utter collapse of the Irish party. Not ior years has the Secretary sailed his barque in such emooth water.

I see no prospect of the Irish brigade re-forming its broken ranks or making any fight in Parliament this year. Their weapons are levelled at each other's throats and the internal warfare grows hotter every day. But for the presence of constabulary and military, there would be civil war in Ireland in less than a month—and all aboub a woman. Well may the friends of Ireland wring their hands in despair. From the best .information that reaches me'l judge that' Parnell is losing ground in Ireland tor all practical political purposes, though the shouting mob are still with him. If he cannot carry the elections he will be lost. His own friends confess fears on that point, hence his backing and filling about the contest he voluntarily challenged in Cork, his supporters there having informed him that his chances of success are bad.

When the emergency comes the influence of the priesba is likely to decide the day, as at Kilkenny. A similar result is confidently predicbed at Sligo. In that case Parnell's present followers in Parliament will take the alarm and drop ofi, leaving him shorn of hia power. A Member of Parliament. PARNELL HAS A LIVELY TIME AT SLIGO—RESULT OF A TRIAL. Parnell mado a triumphal entry into Sligo on March 28. He was escorted by fifty carloads of his supporters from the rural districts, armed with blackthorns. Hβ was received with cheers by the townspeople. Davitt and his supporters afterward made a counter display. The voting classes hero were unmistabably hostile to Parnell. Previous to the arrival at Sligo of Davitt, a fight with blackthorn sticks took placb on the, steps of the Town Hall. Subsequently Pavnell complained that ha had been assaulted during the affray by one of the residents of the town.

A struggle on the steps of the Town Hall, in which Parnell claimed to have been assaulted, was a fierce one, but the Parnellites, assisted by the police, finally overcame their opponents. On returning to his hotel Parnell made an attempt to deliver a speech from one of tho windows, but was compelled to desist, owing to the hooting and yelling of the MoCarthyites. Davitt, on the contrary, wae welcomed to tho town with the utmost enthusiasm.

Tho jury in tho trial of Michael O'Brien, Dalton, and others, charged with rioting and assaulting the police at the time of the trial of O'Brien and Dillon at Tipperary, to-day announced that they were unable to agree on a verdict in the case of Gill and Dalton, but rendered a verdict of not guilty as to the other prisoner. THE COURT-HOUSE AT CORK SET ON FIXE DURING A TRIAL. While the Judge was summing up in the case of the Government against O'Brien, Dalton and others, the courthouse was set on fire, and but for the coolness of the police and the Judge many people would have been injured. As it was, in spite ot the panic, all were got out safely. The police are investigating the affair. The flames spread rapidly, and the Courthouse, including the municipal chambers and the city and county offices, was totally destroyed, Someof the archives were saved, but many documents, some dating back for centuries, were destroyed. When the flagstaff which surmounted the building burned away and the Union Jack fell into the flames, the onlookers, set ap a great cheer. The fire is attributed to si defective flue.