CONDITION OF IRELAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 15

CONDITION OF IRELAND.

PREPARATIONS FOR A CAMPAIGN.

LONDON, July 21.

The Standard, the New York Times, and the Sun report that Air Crimins, an influential Irish - American, recently visited Ireland to inquire into the claims of the Irish Nationalist party to the sympathy of the people of America. He declares that Ireland is in a conteiited and prosperous condition, which is largely due to the operations of the Boarus of Agriculture and the Urban and Rural Council^. Employment is open to every healthy man in the land. The Land Commission's rent appraisements are fair and liberal, but compulsory purchase will alone settle the land question. July 22. The Irish landlords have combined, and are subscribing a capital of £100,000, with the object of opposing the designs 1 of the United Irish League. Mr J. D. Phelan, ex-Mayor of San Francisco, has sent Mr John Redmond, the Nationalist loader, the «urn of £500 towards the Nationalist defence in connection with the recent issue of writ* at the instance of Lord De Freyne on charges of conspiring to compel the sale of property below its value. July 24. The president and secretary of the Collooney branch of the United Irish League have each been sentenced to two months' imprisonment on charges of intimidation. The combination of Irish landlords is to be known as the Irish Land Trust. The central idea is to resist the efforts of tenants to compel landlords to sell their properties, also to make arrangements for the cultivation of evicted farms, and generally to fight the Irish League in connection with boycotting and intimidation. July 28. The Nationalists s-ue the Landlords' Trust for damages. They allege that the trust assi,ted Lord Defreyno in prosecuting them, and conspired by menaces to prevent aiding tho tenants' lawful efforts to secure land reform. SYDNEY, July 25. Tiic annual meeting of the Protestant Defence Association adopted a resolution against any scheme of Home Rule for Ireland, believing that such a mon-iire would be dangerous to the unity and stability of the Empire.