STILL THE "DISTHRESSFUL COUNTHRY."

Golden Bay Argus, Volume XII, Issue 47, 21 April 1910, Page 2

STILL THE "DISTHRESSFUL COUNTHRY."

The state of affairs in the remoter parts of Ireland shows little, if any improvement on the " disthressfiul " days of the late 'seventies and early 'eighties, despite the legislation since enacted by British Parliaments for the benefit of the Irish people. Law and order are still only maintained by the iron hand of the Royal Irish Constabulary. A story of a midnight raid by poliee comes from Castletownbere, Co. Cork. Two parties, numbering in all sixty men, drove in cars from Castletown and Bantry, and converging at Trafrask Cross, proceeded thence to tbe little village of Leitrim, on the LeighWhite estate, in order to seise the property of three farmers for the non-payment of rent. Although the mov?ments were carried out as secretly as possible, the villagers got wind of the coming invasion,, and made their dispositions accordingly. The police had not proceeded far up the narrow road leading to the village when the cars were stopped by a trench, four yards wide and five feet deep, which had been dug right across the highway. Fortunately, the precaution had been taken of sending out a scout, and thus, no doubt, a serious accident was averted. Continuing their way on foot, the party came in sight of a house which was brilliantly lighted, and from which proceeded the sound of horns, whisttling, and shouting. This was the dwelling of one of the defaulters, and it appears that all the people of the neighbourhood had gathered in or about it for the purpose of resisting the threatened seizure. According to one account, there were pots of boiling tar and water mixed with lime in the kitchen, while on the top of' a steep bank under which the road ran were posted men armed with stones. The police, \however, avoided a conflict by turning their attention to the holding of another farmer which had been left undefended. Here the cattle were promptly seized, and the occupier had handed over £l3 and agreed to pay the remainder of his rent and costs before the villagers became aware of what was happening. The police then took their departure, but, further raids, it is conteniplated, will have to be made. The '*boycott" is in operation in more than one affected t district, and, however reprehensible such conduct may be, it is hardly to be wondered at that boycotted persons should occasionally turn on their persecutors. Two "emergency men" from Ulster, employed by a Langford grazier, who for months has been rigidly boycotted, and was recently savagely assaulted by a number of men armed with sticks, are now awaiting trial at the assizes on a charge of firing at a man named Burke. At the hearing before the magistrate 'it waT stated that the two men, "Who were constantly under police protection, wc o driving to the farm where they v/ere employed, escorted by four con-tables, when a crowd came towarc's them, booing, shouting, and beating drums and cans. Burke and hi 3 friends came close up and frighte . 1 the horse, whereupon one of the accused men drew a revolver and fired. His companion fired immediately afterwards. Fortunately, neither bullet took effect. The police hurried up, and prevented further disturbance, keeping the,two carefully guarded until they reached their destination. Subsequently they were arrested. .