IRELAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 114, 6 February 1908, Page 7

IRELAND.

CATIIBRIYING AND LAND TENURE. MR. BIRRELL'S DEFENCE. HE FEARS ONLY THE LAND-HUNGER. "BARGAIN" DENIEt). . 81 TELEGRAPH—?IIESS ASSOCIATION—COI'TEIQITI. London, February 4. In tho House of Commons, Mr. 11. Long, who occupied the position of Chief Secretary for Ireland in the last Unionist 'Administration, moved'the adoption of a regulation dealing with Ireland. He said that, though cattle-driving had been checked, it was not as the result of vigorous administration, but of some compromise between the Government and the Nationalists. He dwelt on the increase in shooting and agrarian outrages, and emphasised the fact that there was terrible boycotting. Yet, ho said, the Government sat with folded hands When iit possessed an effective instrument in the shape of the Crimes Act. PEACE DEPENDS ON LAND 'ISSUE. Mr. Birroll, Chief Secretary for Ireland, made a vigorous defence of his policy. He affirmed that the permanent peace, and prosperity of Ireland depended on the settlement of the land question and the speedy acquisition of untenanted land for distribution in economic holdings. Cattle-driving did not terrify him, but the pricej'oi land and stock, the possibility of bad seasons, and the fear of disappointing land-hungry people did. .The executive had worked the ordinary law with I the utmost vigour. , The fact .that' juries' sympathised with the cattle-drivers did. not, in his opinion, justify dispensing with juries and resorting to coercion.',! IRISH UNIVERSITY BILL.' He indignantly , denied Centering into a corrupt bargain with the Catholic bishops with regard to, University education.:!. .He added that he would be a monstor. if / ■ he stood aside, and allowed crlmo to ; continue in order to bolster -up Home Rule. T.he Crimes Act would v ndt stop ■ outrages,' and lie flatly refused to put the statute into "force. .- 'k I' i ■ . Mr. Birrcll,. in yeply to'Jlr. H. .Staveloy- 1 Hill, Conservative member for the ! Kingswiuford Division of Staffordshire, said thero had been 334 eases of cattle-driving since Juno. Animals had been injured in twentyseven cases, but, none of the owners had, been personally injured. The. debate'was adjourned. 1 SUCCESSFUL. ADMINISTRATION. (Rec. Feb: 5, : 11.22 p.m.)■ • i , LonCon, February 5. - Tlio " .Dailv News": considers '.that' Mr. Birrell's administration in. Ireland; lias been almost. a 'sensational.. succcsis. Y'V ' '• LAND PURCHASE-ITS . FINANCES, i 1 Mr. Birrell's ? fear of the", land-hunger is accentuated by- tile financial 'difficulties of . the purchase scheme, ■ aggravated; by turmoil. -In a p6licy speech lie i 6 reported iis follows:— He preaclrttl peaco to Ireland. He pleaded for a little forbearance. oiiv both sides. v .Ho "asked tho . landless'in Ireland to 1 restrain their ardour, to ;wait. upon the law, anil' in thd : meantime to obey the/Itiw." At'the "same timeho asked ;tho landlords! in.lreland ;to: exercise ii: little forbearance 'also--(eheers)—an'tl*. to' ie- ■ member, that, they had been saved : from' 1 devolution by British itrms. and from financial' ruin ; by tho use of' British credit. (Cheers.)'.' Undor the operations of,the law practically half of the ; land in" : lrelahd hnd''already passed from the landlord to tho tenant. .The remaining half had got >to ba; dealt with, i They were standing now jhalf-waj-lj.; tho 'job .ijad only been' half'.done, and. a great peril; and danger ; had arisen. Tho landlords wtre. paid in money; ' the price /was fixed : br< voluntary' • arrangement, they made ,the best-'bargain that they ' could for ;; thetusclVcti;:' thfen : the British Chancellor of the Exchequer • stepped i- in*'and p;\id thorn hard cash down on the ;' ; nail. . , * ■ .... ■; '.. . That: money 'was raised by British' credit, a loan was floated, the-investor was asked to i tako up _ the-Urish loan stock '.guaranteed by .the credit of tho British nation, but owing to the-heavy, fall in what were called.'gilt-edged securities—a fall; that good' business uifn attribute to tho fact that business. w;\s so good , that capital/found other employment at more ." profitable .rales than could be given 'by: the three or three and a' half of the nationmoney did not: go into Irish Loan-stock.'. That ■ was a <very good thing, for the/ country ;at Inrge, .but it,, was a shocking bad thing, for v him.' ,- ' I .. : . Tho great land scheme for : tho . purchase of i, Irish land; for the, .transfer of- Irish; laud Ii from landlord' to'- tenant, stood a ,fair'/chance j of being wrecked' half-way unless "'some other means were discovered of raising, monev upon - better terms. -That was a difficult job," which J was exercising the mind of i the Chancellor , of tho■ Exchequer,' All he said iwiis'that the solution of that problem, could only be dis-' t covered by* sfelf-sncrifice. in-'lreland.*, v ' The landlords must be asked to sacrifice i. something, tho tenants niust be asked-'to'sac-rifice something;, the ratepayers must bo asked t to bear some of. the loss, and-the British-'tax-' 0 'payer—that patient beast of : probably bo asked < also to i pay something to r help.in that great result. ....(Cheers.)",He said , that this,was'not the time'for the, Irish-land-lords to exhibit any degree of 'selfishness in the matter. •• They ought'to recogniee .tlio great sacrifices that had been made to securo them the prico of their land, .to put 'money in their pocket, imd''they ought to; "help the Governd ment and nil who • were responsible ■ for the n maintenance, of'peace and order in Ireland— they ought to help them to the Very best' of 0 their- ability. (Cheers.) , '