A LAND LEAGUE FOR THE ORKNEYS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 443, 7 October 1881, Page 7

A LAND LEAGUE FOR THE ORKNEYS.

(Glasgow correspondent of the Nation).

The light is spreading rapidly in the far North. In the Island of Westra — one of the Oikney group — Mr. Thomas Clouston delivered a lecture recently on " Orkney in the Olden Times •" and at its conclusion the Rev. Andrew Chapman, United Presbyterian minister, made some remarks on Orkney in the present times, which seem to have created some sensation among old-fashioned people in that quarter. He said that " the country was crouching at the feet of the landlords, who were perfect tyrants, and oppressed their tenants in every way in their power. Orcadians were cowards, for when they came to pay their rents they stood before the landlords with trembling knees and humble mein, instead of standing erect and boldly looking them in the face." Dr. Flett, Baptist minister, of Paisley, also made a stirring speech. " A brother of mine," he said, " living in the island of Sanday, rented from his landlord 14 acies of rocksyes, gentlemen, bare rocks. After carting soil and making it about the finest land in the island, down came the landlord and raised hia rent to a most scandalous degree. Another friend of mine underwent similar persecution. Up, ye men of Westra 1 Why sit ye here idle, or sleep under the heel of the tyrant ? Up, and march through the island ! Tell them of their wrongs and the tyranny exercised over them. Let four of you, or two at least, go through the whole country and agitate, agitate, agitate — organise, organise, organise— till the tyrant lies vanquished in the dust. You see what Ireland suffered, aud the plan she took for remedy. We muat try the same plan— a Land League for Orkney I" I notice that these very significant proceedings have attracted the attention of some of the English papers. Amongst others, a Manchester journal expresses the belief that, whatever may be the legitimate grievances of Scotch farmers, any agitation which may arise will be cjnducted on the lines of '• law and order," and that the odious practices which have so long been the bane of Ireland will not, under any circumstances, be permitted to creep in amongst the loyal and law-abiding people of Scotland. How far this sort of advice may operate in abating the enthusiasm of men. like Messrs Chapman and Flett, and the honest Highlanders who have formed themselves into a Scotch Land League in Glasgow, remains to be seen. Scotchmen, no doubt, are slow and cautious in entering into political agitations, but once in they may be relied on to resolutely stand by their guns and hold on to the bitter end.

The Jewith Messenger says : "It is a noteworthy fact that the London residence for many years of the late Charles Dickeus, Tavistock House, is now occupied by the Jews' College."

The smart English detective who shipped the dummy dynamite barrels to England has not yet been discovered. The Boston agents of the English ste-imships, of course, profess entire ignorance of the shipper ; though we have heard a leading Boston merchant and extensive shipper say that even he, who sent thousands of dollars worth of freight yearly, could not get a single barrel or case on board a Cunard steamer without " red tape " sufficient to identify a dozen men. Meanwhile, a certain class of Irish agitators in this country have swallowed the stupid English hook aud bait, and have swaggered about bombs and batteries in quite an unrestrained way. Mr. c'rowe of Peoria haa talked himself into national notoriety, and all he knows about bombs the world haa learned if it saw fit to read, The good sense of the ten or twelve millions of Irish people in America stands somewhat aghast and somewhat amused at being represented by such Furiosos.— Pilot,