THE STRENGTH OF THE HOME RULE VOTE.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 195, 19 March 1887, Page 2

THE STRENGTH OF THE HOME RULE VOTE.

G. W. C. Smalley's cable special to the '* Tribune," from London,of February 12th, says : The debate and division on Parnell c amendment to the address have practically been a trial of strength on home rule. The speeches were not exceptionally brilliant on either side, not very novel, and not on the whole very instructive. Lord Hartington on Thursday wasoneof themoat comprehensive, wanting in neither firmness nor power. Sexton last night was as eloquent as usual. Sir William Vernon Karcourt wound up for the Opposition with a shower of epigrams not unlike in quantity those he used to launch against his present allies. Neither ho aor any other Liberal pronouces pquarely or or against tho plan of campaign. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach declared that the Government had a policy. No statement has occasioned more surprise than this did, bub presently it appeared that their policy was contingent on the report of the East Cowper's Commission, a report which is, of nourae, still an unknown quantity. Chambar! am opened not his mnuth, nor yet Gladstone, whose absence has caused heart* burnings.

An Unbroken Alliance. The division showed that the alliance between the Tories and Liberal Unionists ig unbroken. Chamberlain and Lord Hartington walked, with equal alacrity, into the Tory lobby. The majority of 106 was unexpectedly large. The minority Included four Liberal ex-Cabinet Ministers, and most, but not all, of the Gladstonian rank and file. The world would have been no worse off had the vote been taken on Monday. Nothing is changed by the week's talk and nothing is gained. The Irish members begin to doubt whether they are not playing the Ministerial game by prolonging the debate. The Ministry, in spite of Sir Michael Hicks- Beach's confident assertion, are not supposed to be impatient to produce their Irish measures. The Liberal organs go so far as to say that the Government are acquiescing in and conniving at delay, because they are at their wits' ends and have not the least idea of what they are going to do about Ireland. If true, that is a censure on Parnoira tactics. But Parnell's idea still is to demonstrate the impotency of Parliament in the presence of Irish obstruction, veiled or unveiled, Nobody supposes that the debate will be finished next yveek. Other than Irish amendments have yot to be discussed, though the other fecbionß of the House of Commons thus far have trken their full share in the discussion. The point the Irieh leaders now labour for most is to attempt to persuade tho public that tho forthcoming trial of Dillon will be unfairly conducted.

Gosohen's Reception. Goschen's reappearance in the House of Ooraraona gave rise to a peculiar scene. Ha was cheered with great warmth by the Liberal Unionists and Conservatives, as is usual when a distinguished man takes his eeafc. What wae not unual was the derisive shouts and cries of " Renegade I" witk

which the Parnellites and some of the Radicals greeted him. But temper runs high juat now. Witness the " Daily News," which declares that Goschen reCftived a warmer welcome than any apostate since Julian. Gladstone's final decision not to take part in the debate on Parnell's amendment is attributed by the Tories to liia discovers that home rule, if judged by the result of Goschen's election, is more unpopular than ever in London, The real rea«on, I believe, is his desire to speak later on more general grounds. He has long since renounced the influence of London opinion and pinned his faith in the provinces.

Programme of the Parnellitea. A London despatch of February 17 says : Paraell states that he will move to adjourn the debate on the address iv reply to the Queene speech, in order to enable the House to form an opinion upon the report of the Land Act Commission, which will be publiehedehortly.Hoalsoconeideraitimperative to call the attention of the House to the I grave aspocts of the agrarian question. The report recommends the adoption of Parnell's proposal to alter the time from fifteen to five >ears, and admit leaseholders to the bene fits of the Land Act Sixty British members of the House of Commons ata conference y eater day, adopted £ resolution to call the attention of Parliament next week to the alleged packing of juries in caeca against the Nationalists in Ireland.

Plans of the Parnellites. The "Post's" London cablegram says: Parnell says that there will be no obstruction this year — that is, no deliberate, organised obstructive measures. It is the intention of the Irish party to discuss the procedure fully and fairly, as they have done with regard to the questions already introduced, but nothing more At the same time they will probably oppose all Government proposals with regard to new procedure legislation. The Irish members are convinced that there | will be no Land Bill this session, for the j reason that there is to be coercion. The Irieh party regard with a friendly eye the eodeavours towards Liberal reunion that have been made, seeing in the Commons a majority of ICO complete for the realisation of their wishes to reach the cole Settlement of the Irish question ; therefore it fo. lows that the action of certain members of the Liberal party -Labouchere, for instance —in denouncing conciliatory e^eechos, atd adopting an irreconcilable attitudo, has not their sympathy, and will not havo their public support. Respecting the trial of Dillon, it is felt that should the Crown succeed in packing the jury, as on the former occasion, some very strong action must be taken to call the attention of the country prominently to the matter. * courae of action on the part of Diilon has been decided on, if occasion should arise for cairj ing it out, which will cauee much ex citement and furnish more striking political Bcene3 than have been witnessed for a long ticn2.

A Conflict in Ireland. A conflict occurred in Dublin on February 1G between a number of police on their way to execute a number of eviction orders on a pirt: of the population of Denglein, County Ker-y The people barricaded the road, ani in some case 9 they hail built stone walls ac:o 3 them. The police force was at first d'iwn away. They reformed and then charge I with b'iton3 and clubbed rifles u[,3-j the populace, compelling them, after a severe struggle, to give way. A number of men and 'vomeo were injured.

Threatening Aspect of Affairs. At Killarney to day, 100 starving labourct \ beaded by the parish priest, appeared boTore the Board of Guardians and prayed fo: r<ilie. f . The Board agreed to apply to t'_e Oovernmont for assistance, and subecribbd a he irty meal for tho sufferers. At Youghal, 150 children left a school in a b dy, singtng " God Save Ireland," became of the presence of two children whose father is an emergency man. A new Loyalist paper, the " Union," pub-H'he-i in Dublin, saya that all the tenants oa the Bodyke estate whose evictions are probable are armed with Enfield rifles, which wero distributed some years ago, and that a few days ago a Fenian visited the locality and provided the tenants with a plentiful supply of ball cartridges. The pame piper stateß that a force of 1,000 policemen and soldiers will accompany the Sheriffs through the district, which is in a t-'a'e of civil war. Tre Corporation of Belfast baa awarded £.'i oil compensation for damages inflicted ii r ' the recent riots in that city.