IRISH AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 78, 24 October 1874, Page 9

IRISH AFFAIRS.

Fbom the admirable letter of the Irish correspondent of the « Boston ■Pilot,' we clip the following :—: — People generally look out for a calm ; and were we to take the advice of o«r English neighbors, we would be in a dead calm at the present moment. National politics, we are told by the English Press must be buried for ever, if this unhappy country is to become pros' perous. We are told to get sense, and commence attending to business ;to give up •• Home Kule illusions," and become practical I believe it is a generally understood fact, that no nation i a the world is better up ' in the preaching line than England ; and we cannot blame her newspapers if, for the purpose of teaching us the way we should go, they have diverged from the path of truth, which, as a rule, is not troddtn by the British Press. Our members are now recommended to ■attend to busmess. A short time ago a complaint was made in the Jiouse of Commons, that the Irish members were " monopolisinc the •business of the session." In no previous Parliament for the last thirty years have the Irish members been so active, or attended to their duties so faithfully ; yet they are told to mind their business. They --•nould also, to make things plain, and to save trouble, be told what

their duties are, and the Government might also mention what measures they would support, and those they would oppose. This would be legislation-made-eaty, and would take a vast amount of trouble out of the hands of our Irish representatives. Public people were almost beginning to forget that the cross-beams at the end of Sackville street marked the spot where, ten years ago, the fouudation-stone of the O'Connell monument was laid. lam happy to be able to announce that the statue is no.w almost finished, and will be erected early in the coming year, which will be the centenary of the birth of the Liberator". It is singular, too, that our Lord Mayor for 1875 will be same gentleman who, in 181)4, Jaid the foundationstone of the monument. This is Alderman Peter Paul M'Sweeney, who has followed, in an unassuming way, in the footsteps of the 'Tribune/ and on whom the duty of unveiling the Btatue will very appropriately fall. It is said that the statue is the grandest work of Poley's life, and the masterpiece of his genius. Intemperance hns this week led to the commission of a crime which was thought by all would have placed an unhappy father in the position of murdering his own daughter. Indeed, it is not certain yec but that he will stand in the dock charged with that heinous offence. On Saturday evening, a man named Anderson, a shoemaker, who had been incessantly drinking for a fortnight, told his daughter he wanted a pint of porter. Tuere was no money, and nothing to raise money on, except an old metal pot. Anderson told his youngest daughter to go out and sell the pot for twopence. The mother, who was intoxicated, wished to send instead an old cloak ; but the elder sister would not let the younger out ac ail, saying she was too shabby to go out into the street. She locked the door, and endeavored to take the pot from her mother's hand. The father now procured a knife mcd in his trade, and stabbed the daughter in the neck. She was immediately conveyed to the Hospital, and it is understood that her life is in imminent danger. The unhappy man, when brought up at the Police Court, expressed great contrition, and averred that the stabbing was accidental. The mother was also charged with being drunk, but was discharged by the magistrate, who doubtless was of the opinion that the pangs of conscience will bo far greater than any punishment he could inflict. I regret to say that there is no occasion for congratulating the Irish farmers on the harvest prospects. The hay crop has been a miserable failure, and wheat, oats, and barley will certainly be deficient in yield, owing to the dry weather. Potatoes are quite up, if nob beyond the average, and as yet are in excellent quality. Horses huve become extremely cheap, owing to the scarcity of fodder.