THE HOME RULE CAUSE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9560, 11 July 1894, Page 4

THE HOME RULE CAUSE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The Irish party in the House of Commons are getting into very awkward straits. Both sections are in serious monetary difficulties. The Home Rule cause has been maintained for many years by a liberal Parliamentary fund, which used to be under the exclusive control of Mr. Parnell, and which since his death has been the source of bitter dispute between the sections. The springs of supply are drying up in Ireland, because the people must see that they would be worse oft with Home Rule than they are now. The copious stream which used to flow from the United States has greatly fallen off, as many of the men of the great immigration have died, while their children have disturbances of their own to look after. Mr. McCarthy has issued an urgent appeal for subscriptions, in which he says that " without immediate and generous help from the Irish people we cannot hope to keep up during the remainder of this Session that constant attendan ce of the Irish members at Westminster, which alone can enable the Home Rule Government to proceed with the accomplishment of its pledges to Ireland in the face of unexampled Parliamentary obstruction." Mr. Davitt seconded this appeal, and speaks of the great sacrifices the Irish members have made. There must, however, be a dispute on the subject, and at a meeting of the Irish Federation at Tipperary, the following resolution was adopted : ; —" That we protest against the appeal for funds made by Mr. Justin McCarthy for the support of the Parliamentary party as injurious to the evicted tenants and the highest national interests of Ireland, and that we call upon him to summon in Dublin a convention of the Irish

people to pub an end to the ruinous policy of the last three years, and to place the national affairs of Ireland on a sound constitutional basis." This is very vague, but it means that the Irish members ought not to take money that should go to evicted tenants. There is no question that the Parliamentary fund, so Ions; as it was abundant and was under strict control, was the ohief means of keeping up the Home Rule agitation, and of preserving the discipline of the party in the Blouse. , It virtually created a body of paid members in the House under the control of a chief to whom they were bound. If the fund falls away, another set of men will be elected, men who are ; not ;so needy, who are more independent, who are not at the beck of the man -who holds the purse-strings.