UNREST IN IRELAND

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 19

UNREST IN IRELAND

LONDON, December 2. Mr John Redmond, the Irish leader, ■ speaking at Motherwell, said that Ireland was in a state of profound peace, since cattle-driving was only an 'offence- against the law and not a crime. He denounced tne conspiracy of the English newspapers to represent Ireland as almost in a state of anarchy. December 3. A jury at Dublin yesterday disagreed in a case against 26 Galway men who were charged with cattle-driving, despite Mr Justice Wright's emphasising their admission that they were driving for a whole day and Mr Cherry's remark that no honest man could doubt that driving was a criminal offence. Owing to the Archbishop of Tuam declaring that cattle-driving was illegal and immoral as a means of redress the people in the archdiocese desisted .and yielded to the wishes of the police. Tho latter in most cases withdrew. j Mr Justipe Wright, at Dublin, sentenced five people who were convicted last week to four months' imprisonment. Mr Ginnell, M.P. for North Westmeath, speaking at Kilskeels," declared that Mr BirrelPs promise to do what the people wanted if a demand were made with sufficient courage and energy meant that they\ ought to pursue cattle-driving vigorously*' The Westminster Gazette (G.) urges the Government to prosecute members of Parliament as well as the cattle-drivere, especially Mr GinneU. December 4. Judge O'Brien, Chief Justice of the King's Bench Division (Ireland), has denounced cattle-driving as an organised crime and most demoralising to tht offenders, who openly deride the law. December 5. Mr Cherry (Attorney-general for Ireland), in prosecuting Farrell at Wicklow, de« scribed cattle-driving as worse than anything done among the tavages in West Africa. December 6. The jury disagreed in the ca6e against Mr Farrell, M.P., who was charged, with others, with unlawful assembly. December 9. Sir Edward Carson, member for Dublin University, speaking at Maccleefield and referring •to the lawlessness in Ireland, declared that the English had better withdraw if they were not prepared to govern Ireland according to the ordinary .elementary conditions of civilisation. The Westport Coal Company's output las* week was 9170 tons Bcwt.