FAMINE IN IRELAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 289, 13 December 1897, Page 5

FAMINE IN IRELAND.

EJECTMENTS AND PROCESSES FOR RENT FALLING LIKE SNOW-

FLAKES,

Mr John Dillon, leader of the Irish party, writing from Dublin on Oct. 23 to the Editor of the New York 'World,'says:—'11 is admitted now by all except Dublin Castle that over large districts in the west and southwest of Ireland severe distress, amounting to famine in some places, will prevail during the coming winter and spring.

'As in 1845 and 1879, and other famine years, the Government has begun by vigorously denying that there is cause for alarm. This attitude is always maintained until after the November rents are collected.

'Meanwhile, the area and intensity of distress is increased greatly by levying' rents on a people who soon will "be face to face with starvation. Ejectments and processes for rent are falling like snowflakes over the distressed districts.

'We hold that the duty of providing against distress lies entirely on the Government, and that it has no right to leave tbe people to the charity of the world.

'Periodic famines in Ireland are the direct result of this Government. This year, and for the last forty years, '._.:.,000.000 has been taken annually from Ireland unjustly by excessive taxation. One-sixth of tlie sum of which Ireland has been robbed this year would provide, if judiciously expended, for the wants of the distressed districts if accompanied by a measure placing- a check on the levying of rents in the famine districts.

'Sixty-seven Irish members out of a total of 103 signed a memorial to Mr Balfour asking for the immediate summoning of Parliament in order to make proper provision for relief works and to pass some measure to restrain the levying: of excessive rents. Mr Balfour's answer was the old, stereotyped one: "The Government is carefully watching* the distress and has ample powers to deal with it."

'That is exactly what was said in 1845. The Government continued to watch while thousands died of hunger. 'We have no confidence in the official machinery of the Irish Government, and we do not believe that the further thinning out of the Irish population would be a matter of regret to the Castle authorities.

'The best service our friends in America can render will be to bold meetings to expose the callous attitude of the Irish Government, an dto demand, in the name of common humanity, that the Government shall do its duty.'