TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9179, 20 April 1893, Page 3

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —We have been recently treated to two letters from anti-Home Rulers, one from the Rev. Mr. McCallum ami the other from " Dewardo." The former is somewhat moderate in his tone, but the latter is totally different, and it; is for fear that his reckless statements, prompted as they undoubtedly are by antiquated bigotry and intolerance, might be accepted as gospel, that I notice him at all; therefore, it is with him that I shall principally, if .not wholly deal. "Dewardo " says " Ulster is the only province in Ireland where the masses we blessed with nineteenth century intelligence." Thorn's Almanac for 1880 gives the percentage of those able to read and write as follow :—Lcinster. 58 5; Ulster, 534 ; Munster, 53 2; Connaught, 41*5." Wherein lies Ulster's superabundant "nineteenth century intelligence?" "Ulster is the only province where religious liberty, iudependance and self-reliance are univcal," says "Dewardo." Belfast lias a Catholic population of 70,000 (and this exceeds the entire population of Auckland city). What representation have these 70,000 in the local government of Belfast? Absolutely none. Belfast Harbour Board has 22 members nod 37 employees. There is not a single Catholic among them. The Poor Law Board lias '22 elected members, and there is not a Catholic among them. Of 91 employees, all are Protestants. The City Council has 40 members, but no Catholic there, and it has 89 officials receiving salaries amounting to £17,000, but here the " tolerants" are a wee bit merciful, and two Catholics are amongst the 89, and these two arc scavengers. In Catholic Dublin the Lord Mayor is a, Protestant, the official drawing the highest salary under the Corporation is a Protestant, and there are, I think, about 20 Protestant elected members in the Corporation. "Up tc the time this Home Rule Bill was embodied, Ulster was spreading the stream of prosperity far and near over the land," quoth "Dewardo" (return B 4059, 188-1), of rent extinguished under the Arrears Act, 1882, is as follows:•—Connaught, £634,331; Ulster', £561,391; Minister, £341,198; Leinster. £223,902. Further proof of the "stream of prosperity," there emigrated during the decade 1871-81, from Ulster, 93,686; Minister, 09,57"); Leinster, 59,998 ; Counaught, 29,279. Contribution to local rates shown by return Mo. 164, presented to Parliament in 1884, places Ulster third on the list. Valuation per inhabitant: Leinster, £3 13s fid; mister, £210 m lOd; Ulster, £2 9s lid; Connaught, £1 15s 2d. The present population of Ulster is 1,619,814, comprising 874,955 Protestants, ami 744,859 Catholics. Exclusive of Belfast, the Catholics in the province are in a majority of over 80,000. Mark this, that in six out of the nine counties in Ulster the Catholics form the majority. In the last general election of 1892, Ulster polled, out of a total of .123,205 votes, 69,464, or a majority of 15,663 votes in favour of Home Rule. Mow, I think I have shown that Ulster docs not possess a monopoly of the wealth, education, intelligence, etc. My figures are not those of the partisan ; they arc official. It is idle, therefore, for a minority to attempt; to dictate and rule the roost, as I have shown, because the state of affairs I have shown to exist in Belfast is rampant in Ireland wherever the "ascendancy"rule. Granting this minority all the opulence, education, etc., which they claim, Mr. Gladstone has amply safeguarded them by the Legislative Council he purposes establishing. The £20 qualification is estimated to create a constituency of 159,000, and this is to elect 48 members to the Upper House. At present Ireland's parliamentary franchise numbers 900,000, and surely when one chamber in elected by 150,000, and that, too, on a property qualification, what more is required ? But whatever measure is brought in it will be objected to, not because of disintegration of the Empire, Protestant faith in danger, or oppression of the minority, not at all, but in order that the country may be ruled by the "classes" as it is now, thereby rendering necessary, according to Mr. Balfour and Mr. Goschen, the existence of an armed force, the Irish Constabulary, which costs annually two and a-half millions sterling. There must be a change in the present system, and despite statements to the contrary, all Irelard is suffering under it, including Ulster, as shown by its emigration and other returns. In the memory of living man the population was eight millions ; now it is approaching four, and if the depletion goes on it will be it veritable Sahara.—l am, etc., JtJSTITU. Auckland, April 19, 1893.