IRELAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 115, 7 February 1908, Page 7

IRELAND.

AN AUEGED DECREASE OF CRIME. "SOCIALISM." OFFENCES OF THE LANDLESS. >' or TELEanirn—fuess association—coftkight, London, February 5. \ In the House of Commons, the amend' • ment to tho Address-in-lteply, moved by Mr, W. 11. Long (Chief, Secretary for Ireland in) tho Balfour Administration), ,wbich proposedtho adoption of a regulation dealing with Irish affairs,'., was rejected by 414 to 115. > Sir Edward Carson (Solicitor-General in' the Balfour Government) said if the Govern--, ment considered that serious offences in Ire-' land were inevitable because there was not) , land, enough for all, that was tantamount to' preaching Socialism puro and simple. Mr. Cherry (Attornoy-General for Ireland)' insisted that the amount of crimo in Ireland', in 1907 was less by half :than the average foi the five preceding years, tfa added that by trusting to ordinary.' law the Government?, hopod to enlist the, sympathies of the people oil the side of law, so securing •" COMMITTED' FOR TRIAL. ; . London, February 5. I . . Fifteen Irish Leaguers at Caldow, County Mayo, have been arrested for preventing the Congested Districts Board allotting grazing' -land- in ; ; Frenchpark . to. strangers in the Four were discharged, and the r&» maiiidef we'ro committed'for trial; V

SIR A. M'DONNELL I ( * (Rec: Feb. 6, 9.30 p.m.) '' > London, Februarys. Speaking in ,the House of Commons, Mr. , Birrell, Secretary 'for Ireland, denied tho cuM •Tent Humours that 4ho -Under-Secretary for ' s Ireland, Sir Antony M'Donnell, has resigned* ) CATTLE-DRIVINC. •:"rvA.,'section,.in- the Irish' Land Purchase Act, 19.03, >. empowers the Estates . Commissioners to acquire" grass lands by voluntary purchase, and - to parcol them out-amongst -certain specified classes, including the sons of • neighbouring peasant farmers. There may bo some, reason 4'or-brmginffrin'strangers--at-Prenohpark, but* .local,disturbances might .'bo looked for almost.as., a. matter, of course. • The object of cattle-driving,, and the similar ; ' measures with which Messrs. Ginnell and) Sheohjv Nationalist M.P.'s, : and the United 'Irish . League are so closely identified is to • force the owners and occupiers of grass lauds ,to;-. convert them into peasant • holdings,' and' this. is to\be'attained. by compelling them 'to''-, sell to th<J Estates Commissioners. ■"The'' lands," says a ' recent writer, "arc to ba' cleared by violence of the stock upon them, - and "are"; to ;. bo : kept ' derelict ljy systematio ' terrorism,- until. either the landlords consent f : : to part with them 'voluntarily,'or tho Government pass a law. expropriating tho landlords, compulsorily." '•■>. • , '■Mr. Slieehy, speaking jbefore v the . United •Irish League,' said; lie had never heird Judgo ' Cttri-aii .•; express'.feelings of horror at the drivingYof people • oftVthc land, but. when it • cam'o to driving cattle oif, His Honour had a « pain iii . his stomach. . ; .'' If thev had- nc-* other means of putting,, an'end .to the eleven.' months system, there .was. one'way : open tc ,- honest. and determined men—to "drive the 'cattlo from the; land? There'were two wavnV in which .the .land .question, might be'settled;, one was by a-compulsory sale Bill, the otliei - was by. a compulsory Act of the people them--.' solves. He' preferred tho latter, They had] 'been JdHven.out "to; make-way , for the catties' tho cattle should go .qut now to make 1 way for .the people.. \ ' At the annual .meeting ;'of the Irish Landowners V Major. Madden proposed;, '—"That' the"attention" of i tho' Government be . called to the, state of lawlessness, prevailing in •• 1 many parts-of Ireland,'and'especially to thai practico..of cattle-driving, and the attempts t to coerce-persons iby . intiniidatioti into surrendering or ; refusing to ,tnke grazing lettings,,by. . whidh. tlie liberty- of ;the subject, is interfered ' with; and this. Convention condemns the action , of certain , members'' of the Government in making light of such acts, thereby eucourag- : ing a certain; section of the people to further lawlessness." "Colonel : O'Callaglian-Westropp, in' seconding*, the motion, said that cattledriving could bo broken up in a week if the ' "Government desired it. -' If. carried further it would, absolutely smash tho cattlo trade. Themotion was carried unanimously.

• Sir Edward Carson'is alleging Socialism in connection with; the remarks. of Air.. Birrell. Chief Secretary. for Ireland. Mr. Birrell Baid 'th'at:icattle-drivii)g did -/not- terrify him, but the price of land and stock, the-possibility of bad seasons, and'tho fear of disappointing land-hungry peoplo did. Mr, Birrell also do-;, clared-ithat. no' would! be a monster if ho stood asido and'allowed, crime to continue in- ; order to bolster .up Homo Rule. , ' '! Sir.' Antony M'Donnell, Irish Under-Secre. . tary, has had-a 'brilliant, career in Indian Civil Service,'and his statue stands in Luck-.. now. A recent, biograph states.—Ho was largely instrumental in passing, Mr. Wynd-., ham's - Land Act. He is a 'Roman Catholio and a Homo Ruler, and is the son of a small landlord in County. Mayo; is "short, fair, i blup-cved; silent, > with all • his heart in his work." ■ .