CONVERSAZIONE AT ST. JOSEPH'S HALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2758, 23 January 1907, Page 16

CONVERSAZIONE AT ST. JOSEPH'S HALL.

Mr Donovan is the gue*l* of Bishop Vordon duriuar his short stay iv Dunedin. Ke was entertained on the 13th at a con- ( vorsazione in St. Joseph's Hall. There was I a large attendance, including the Bishop ! 3nd local visiting- clergy. I Mr .1. B. Cal.'an welcomed Mr Donovan, i and remarked that it wa>- a arord thina; to .spo young men liko Messrs Devlin and i Donovan championing the cause of old [ Trelanfl in the new lands. I Mr Donovan, who was hoartilv applauded on rising, sjid he and hi-> colleague had been (ouring tho Au- trala^'an States for 11 ino'it!i=, and had bce:i everywhere well reeehed. not orly by their own kith and i kin, who were b'juiid by golden tics to tho crac'lo land of their race, hut by At:stra'a = :an s of all creeds and <!n<-"«. They hd'l not nier^'y realised upward- of £20.000 for t!<o Ir cause, but they had rallied to their standard all thit was honest, all that u<is ra.ional-minded in Australasia. (.Applaiis" ) When the brothers Redmond irxicff a s.mihir four"" ?3 jears ago the hand of e\er\ nia.ii, with the exception of their own countrymen, was against them, the doors, of riearlv all the public halls were scaled ro them ; but the srhoolrrastcr had: s nro been abroad, and a great change had r"»er» hrouaiit ahour. They bad dissipated th»- illusions -^i ill existing with regar<l to certain questions. They hsd thnwn thero v. as nothing m the argueinent of dit>-reomly-rmpiit. fb-> bogey of Home RuJo U-ing Rome Rule, the talk of whether they were competent to govern themselves, and tho al'og-cd tendency to quarrel among liiemsc'\e->. They l.ad dealt with theto aruiwienta, pit)vor'umt; their cities. A parl anient for Ireland would tend not only to the prosperity of the Jri"h people, liufc it would (.omiucc also Ui the consolidating

jind strengthening of the Empire itself. — (Applause.) Mr Devlin and himself were -young men, and they came from the great Orange capital of the North of Ireland, bearing the message of good cheer and encouragement. They came representing as it were the United Irish party. They came reflecting the policy of toleration, the policy of brotherhood and equality for all oreeds and classes. During the evening refreshments were served and a capital musical programme •was rendered. On FetwtmTy 11 M- Devlin and Mr Donovan finally kave th© colony for America.