Tithe-collecting.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5257, 13 May 1895, Page 2

Tithe-collecting.

j A epecial correspondent of the Daily | News haa supplied to that journal some graphic descriptions of tithe-collecting in Wales, which show that the simple country folk of the principality make their contributions to the established church with a veiy indifferent grace. The bailiff* charged with the duly oi execnting dißtress warrants appear to have had tolerably, exoitjing tunes. In one case an officer, accompanied by a strong body of police, met with a very determined resistance. The small . land-holders collected in considerable force and armed themselves with knobby fifcicka to protect, as they put it, the rights of their neighbour. The bailiff and his protectors stood on one side, and the defenderi on the other side of the bouni dary fence, and gazed ab one another • for some time. Finally the bailiff I jumped over the . fenco and plunged 'heavily down into the field. In an instant there was a howl, and the people were down upon him, and had he been unprotected, he would, probably, have fared very badly. But the instant he had | landed in the field the police dashed oxer *to protect; him. Already two or three I men had flung themselves upon him, and for a moment there was a wild eorimmage, and a pitifnl cry from the women and children. It was only for a_ moment, however, and then the assailants marched off, and the biihff, with a slightly broken head, and a portion of the brass torn from his helmet, rose breath* lessly but triuropbant. The Btronghold waßt»^ n » aad tuo officer, under the full fiicort of tfes \,o^e, free to proceed at hk leituro round the farm, and dietrain <3D whatever he thought sufficients to cover the amount cf the tithe. The farmer, as the people trooped over his land, protested against the trespass, and calted upon one of the superintendents present to turn off the trespassers. This the officer declined to do, and the farmer appealed to the Press to make it known that his protest was unheeded. It is scenes of this sort that will give the Liberal > a large majority in Wales at the next general election.