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Press, Volume LII, Issue 15728, 23 October 1916, Page 6

In its issue of September 7th last- the •'lrish Times" protests strongly against "the legend that Ireland is a 'distressful country'/' tho occasion for its protest being the holding of a public meeting in Sydney to inaugurate n fund for "the relief of distress :'u Ireland.'' The good people of Sydney, the "Times" /says, really ought to know the facts: "For at least twenty years Ireland has been increasing steadily in wealth and general progress. The most generous land legislation in the world laid tho foundations of a widespread agricultural prosperity. ... At this moment, when New South Wales proposes to relieve our 'distress,' Ireland, in proportion to her size and population, is probably making more money than any other part of tho Empire." That Ireland is at present prosperous in a very .high degree is due to the fact tl\rti Ireland is an agricultural country, obtaining enormous prices for her products, whilo in the towns very high wages are paid -to munition workers, and there is no compulsion to serve in the Army.

Mr Redmond lias himself spoken of tho great prosperity of Ireland in recent years, but the fact is one of common knowledge. The "Irish Times" has an interesting explanation of the fact that in the British Dominions and America many people of Irish descent hold ludicrously incorrect views about the state of Ireland. A largo number of the inhabitants of America and the Dominions are descendants of Irishmen who have emigrated since the time of tho great famine. "Then, and for many years afterwards, Ireland was, indeed, a distressful country. It was poor, and it was badly governed. The Irish emigrants bequeathed to their children a heavy legacy of hitter find angry memories. These memories wore cherished and passed on to later generations. with a fidelity which, while it may excite a sort of wrong-headed sympathy, has been the despair of British statesmen." To-day Ireland is not only prosperous, but very proaresrivo, and as little "distressful" as New Zealand is. But, as tho "Times" points out, "tho legend of national distress" is maintained abroad in order to raise funds for political purposes, and also in order to counter tho unfortunate fact that the country can thrive without Home Rule. ♦ Before reaching its conclusion that "the persistent setting forth of Ireland by Irishmen as a ragged Hecuba among tho nations, is an outrage on Irish patriotism, decency, and common &ense,'' the "Times" suggests to Mr Redmond that he should. state the facts, which he could do without im'perilling his cause, for he could claim that Ireland, . admittedly -prosperous now, would ho still more prosperous under Home Rule. To do this would be wise as a political ateo, and for a very good reason. Tho Irish question is to come up as a part of tho problem of Imperial Government after the Avar, and the Dominion representatives will necessarily have to examine for themselves the conditions in Ireland. "The Nationalist politicians are preparing for themselves aii exceedingly awkward and ombarrassing position. No man likes to bo treated as a fool, and. when tho Dominion delegates come to study Ireland at first-hand, they will find that the Nationalist Party has been treating Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders as fools for the last twenty years."

How profoundly the war," which is no respecter of persons or institutions, has shaken and altered many ancient foundations and customs recently received a more than commonly striking illustration. An official announcement was made concerning some changes in the use of the Great Seal of State decided upon by a committee of the Privy Council A schedule of patents "was issued setting forth those which must still be written on parchment and sealed with the Great Seal, and those which must now bo written on paper and sealed with a wafer seal. Peers and baronets will continue to receive patents on parchmcnt, sealed with the Great Seal, but knights will have to ho content with paper and a wafer. With this exception, and some few others, tho rule will he paper patents. Moreover, it is ordered that there shall

he no more marginal decorations inscribed on patents, but such documents shall bear the Royal Arms printed in one colour. The "Tape and Scaling Wax Office'' has long been considered, and with reason, the most conservative institution on earth. In time of peace any suggestion that paper and a wafer seal should replace the sacred parchment and the Great Seal would have been regarded as something like a progosal to destroy the Constitution, and

cue suspects that the change now ordered -were not agreed to without some vigorous opposition.