HOME RULE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 17 June 1911, Page 8

HOME RULE.

MU DONOVAK IN BLENHEIM

Mr Donovan, the Irish envoy \ deputed to visit Blenheim ,fe address I a public meeting on the Home Rule question, with, a view to raising funds with ■which to fight the cause of Irf»~ land in her demand ,for self-govei* Iment, ai rived here Jus* night from Wellington. He was n.et at the railway fetation by the Mayor, Father Hills, and a very largo section of the public, and accorded a most hearty welcome? on his return visit to New Zealand and Blonheim. The Hibernian Band mus in attendance, an 4 marched ta tho rotunda in Market Square playing "Tho Weaiin' o' th© Green." Mr Dbnovian 'followed immediately behind the* band in at motor-car. He briefly replied from th© rotunda, thanking the people fqa* th© fine reception no- , corded him. At tins Town Hall Mr l>onovan w*»* introduced to a large audience by his "Wor&hip" the Mayor,, who leferred to ilie laudable object which had brought lifin. back to appeal to the eons or » JBiin pnd other sympathetic friend-* for support in order that the people of Ireland might succeed in their demand foi Home Rule. Mr Donovan wasjoudly applauded upon vising to speak, swid after thanking the Mayor ior his Lmdly iemar IT3 * he plunged into tho subject of his ixua- ' fcion- P.» said that on the occasion „>£ Ibis last visit to the Dominion he had sounded ft, somewhat optimistic note, and b'd announced from almost way platfoim in Now Zeala-nd that that was tiki last occasion upon which liis>»i envoys *rt ould come, hsro to appeal for the ntcessaij assistance to carry on, in fclv* House* of Common:,, their battlo in fayoi of flomo Rule* In themteivenirig yCMTs they "had^no^ sikmWJtl their'national lights,* ami Jie had coire here'rigafn', n hiimble scsftiftiel from tho watch-towc-Tfc of'HoiWßule. J'He •was glad to t< 11 them 'how. thingsVare - going rt JithX)M lipLmd^-andi _it',Ws»s well with liojv They siec©, matching band in hdnd wttk ;,;the, 4 Britrly democracy, they jhad t^i iumphed 'oVrf^ the^Hotise oi Lorde^rftind. they tjtare in* a ppoition to stvy ifyt&b frh& conscience* of yhe people- at tlkt-mo hld^beer^ touched, «ud the Irtah question was to b<> mottled'at la&^-jn.-a-iW^afaqtoiy mannd. Tho - aggressive PeeivYwhq,'* by then' veto luadGfip^Mie paat been aßle to dkoi'g«n36f»,xj|lv^»Ktio v affaiia* nojj.only m lieland, 'JbtHkalso in England—had befentetojnrswxk i The envoys' 1 on, theli retmn Vjjtsit, had been le- ; ceived, eveiyw-lioror $nth open iumi, not only in .Now Zealand, but al&p in Austiaha and Tafftnaa'iii. In Auckland alone there'had/been J}ubs>oribed * td ihe. Irish fund .£llOO at a. single meeting. There wore Mayors of towns, niinistera jof1 all icligions and denominations*, s&nd men'of all shade» of'political opinion in the Dominion yfbq the meetings held by tho cfelegete&, ad occupied positions cv the platforms, and* if he interpreted the feedings of the people of New Zea- , l»nd rightly, the conclusion he h.id come1 to was that this question ought to bo settled at the oaihest moment, for not meioly would1 it conduce to the jxrospoi itv, the happiness, and the loyalty of Ireland, but it would promote, consolidate, and strengthen tho .British Empire. He had come to -plead the oouse of lieland, and he ■would set out the basis upon ■they made their claim as the notion . ,;pi Irolatid for 'the Irish, <as thjßT m< M^'^Z^land |jelieve<J./in New Zealand ■■■■■:'■•■•■'■■'^fpjrj'^^-lYew' ZeaJandors. All they f 'r.; ,i%a l nW:#as>'th6'right to control am ':>"^:^:jifi[}^ife&i^&Ts domestic fand intarnu . vl'- J-':.'«|lm^irs."'"■■'lreland enjoyed a Parliament . ' vf^.;jief <JWt) jrom^l399 to 1800. when i ttter-v' Itet'; '.• Parliament, the. 6xattun 1 r I WssW^ ni' —a I*rol'>estan* P-arliamont £^'$$j^j^j-f&fon Crdm i them. - Notwithr ■'''^- } 1 ;i;&j|tttai%f^bhat H xwp.n y lyii'liianion.t^' ["■ v v-:;f^^rMigiouf> compl^xio'nftaid was* not ■'; -' '■■ :rhei%r::":;inssf ia^prrfftn|MasVog|' - '"'.'■■ ■••• ■'T'i;^^^^^^^V^^«li^.e;..th© :!poOpl«>v- ■" o>f^-fl^a^-hi^^ -~.:.':.' j;i^v^^iiOTe-'|hi^;(a« '.\- ■'•■•f:' V^lttfec^d|i<^jat^^ ; fw '■" V V^afepQaed<;:'ofi:'':;' l|^igioi^'.yid\;npt;'ienK!» ■'•': '•■;■■■''";:- inw- ;;^he ;< ■ .**•'. all!; ;*. "what,..' was^ m^n^ed ifch^t Ir#md; shomd ;W V ■ ruled fmm within and not from, but.side. He asked how N*W>i2ealAnd&rs j ■'■• would 1 ike to he governed^frb'm TaSr ; ' mania oi- Sydney. : They would; not r >- l . eubniit to 'it ■ for, one,. molrient. The • ... system under, which Ireland^ was; governed was the most degraded in ...■'■'; ..'■■.,'. ',; the world. He referred, to the tyrann v ./■ ■/, . and,-ci6i:rupti6ja priictidsed by thelaiid-;'j ' . ? , ■■■-••■■ Jdrd B6crs upon the peasantry of Ire-'•.v'.:::;*--';Jand;-;:- •-.... ■•■■" .r. \\ :_:■/[;■ ■■ ~,;;.. ";;:i('i '■,: Mr': Donovan theii related, one; or'^:^':(%:'t\swfci^is&<i^;ty $M>y? •'the/; 'ignorance \ ■,';;; 'c^X't^^an^ ;'^n^omp^tenpeVxif Jssonie^of the offi-: .' '■';V./^'^;oiil8;;!:whO-o'weli:0 I . ;:^pi ppint.edi;" v .''by-v^th©; ;' . British/ Groverriijieiht;;ttK fcqntrpjl'; ilie ' ,'i 4ffaii*of jireiand;''-;.'He'atate^rtha-t^on ' '•'■ ■•'•■■■". on®/ocpaiiorifvMr-.^Roach',, Member; for v: Crfllway, told a.. secretii-y "that \Wood- '■■ •;: ? ford{.J!iaail>&i-..\^fiS,;in m^ha^■.§&&&• ■ • The ' .;':>-?v iiV:P pie"rS■on!tha :^vhai€r; were^"^ec|t.yii3:g ; :a.n'iil ■■;-:;; g^^tialiyri4>he.;''fiafiingv''-3i.ridjiiist^:/;\'.f6r' !^"^' X which;! jhi® harbor was J. hptecfj wa» !' >v v -j';V",:gjbo^ly hampered^ a.nd would he do : : ' v '^fcfr^wxn&tAting-, to alleyiate... existing con-. f*-ty-r"'^ .4itions'." Th© Secretai*^,' in feplj. •i'i'^- v! ?-,i ;^aid! her was., J#>, heair that' such a w'[{lX:-foment®fo\esti*te of affairs existed- at f;;jf;; (v, y/oodford■■harbor, bi# he regi«etted '',-•': !^*h9*' he- oould! not,;, promise to gran t "• ..'X- anything for tlus harbor yet. Imagine "• * his surp^isi^,/said'Hr Donovan, whoir :. 'ibe Memfeer. for. Sai'ipy informed him ' th!at;th«fp©..jvas no such place'.asWood- ' ft>rd''.-naKbor,. aiid; th 4t 4 ,the town of Woodfoi'd was 40 inMes ;fro» Hk« sett. ■ - (liaughter). •.,','-,,,, ' . ■■ i . Gdntinuing Tiis address, Mr Dono- -•• r van.ss)i4 it was^ in const-quenpe of this igndrsfnoe'"and • mismanagement that .1 ' '■'tm©!lri*Ji« party -w.^Sjlighting 'for' fr«e- ---•"' •' • -an di Hb ertr. ,tq' their own counti'v,,, Ireland could be made the >ame as' New^'ZoaMiiflf—one of :-'tao. nriost cbiintries in i^hfoi'w&jrtd... It had wonderful resouroeß,, ; «na, these required only to he developed to bring iibont the prosperity !of the people, and it was-for the amelioration of the Irish masses they were fighting, and it was oil account of the poverty on the one hand, and the lack of fiinds 1 b^:.*He they w£r© appejij-; ing to their brethren across the water for assistance to fight capital, and to accomplish the great work they had *in hand. He ulso referred to the manner in wliich the Protestants in Ireland and also the • Catholics were ' bound tngetlie.i in rme common cause, the freedom of the Irish r^ace. At the conclusion of liis address a

vote of thanks, moved by Frfthor HiiL? and seconded hy Mr McCallum. w.is ACCffiCde^JMJJ[loiKWiy^joiJri^«Mt^a

A siicil&r■ Compliment was acdotfded to, the Mayor. ■,' , v ■ ■■.■•. : _ -', A "collection was taken up during tha evening and liberally responded to. ' '. .- ■'. ■ ..