CONDITIONS IN IRELAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14087, 16 December 1907, Page 5

CONDITIONS IN IRELAND

CATTLE-DRIVERS PUNISHED,

SPEECH BY MR BIRRELL.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

LONDON, December 13,

Sixteen persons were bound over at Ballinasloe to keep the peace for cattledriving.

Four farms at Tills!;. Tonbane, and Stokestown were cleared of cattle, despite the efforts of the yolicu.

A " WIIITEBOY " SENTENCED,

LONDON, December 14. (Received Dec. 15, at 4.34 p.m.) Thomas Smyth has been sentenced to foui' montlis' imprifioimient at tho Wicklow assizes on a charge of " Whiteboyism." He delivered a. letter which threatened a woman's Jife unless sho surrendered two farms which she recently purchased. Seeing that the woman was not aftraid lie fired two shots over her head.

[Tho Whiteboys were originally known a3 levellers, the latter nanio being given to agrarian bands, first formed in Limerick in 1761, who tore down the fences with which tho commons had been enclosed. They, were afterwards known as Whiteboys, Irom tho whilo shirts which they wore over their other garments.]

• ALLEGED CONSPIRACY. LONDON, December 14. (Received Dec. 15, at 4.34 p.m.) Mrs Minnio Walsh and her son Percy Walsh have been committed for trial on the charge of conspiring to obtain from Lord Ashlown and Mr Chenevix Trench, his agent, money under false pretences, also with conspiring to incite Patrick Cahill, J. Ward, and othem unknown to blow up a building at Woodawn, Lord Ashtown's Galwav seat. DEPUTATION TO MR BIRRELL. THE GOVERNMENT DEFENDED. LONDON, December 14. (Received Dec. 15, at 4.34 p.m.) Mr Birrell, in replying to a landlords' deputation at Dublin, declared that eattledriving was illegal, and indefensible from ovcry standpoint. He denied that the Government had stood by with folded arms and taken no active steps to suppress the offence. Of 225 persons bound over, none Ikul offended again. The graziers had (ailed to assist the police. The agitation would not be .allowed to affect the prico of land. Legislation might soon bo forthcoming to break up the Roscommon and Galway grass lands so as to increase the number of those on tho soil. Tho Government had refrained from enforcing the Crimes Act for.reasons which he was quite prepared to state at tho proper place and time.