WORD FROM KILMAINHAM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 457, 13 January 1882, Page 21

WORD FROM KILMAINHAM.

The Freeman of Monday, November 7, says :—: — On Saturday Mr. Parnell was visited by Judge Little and Mr. George Delaney, two prominent members of the Home Rule League' The country will be glad to hear that Mr. Parnell has almost entirely recovered from his recent sudden and severe illness. He is. however not so strong as when he entered prison, and the changed conditions of his life are producing visible effects. Mr. Parnell, we learn, entered freely into conversation with his visitors. The rule that Land League policy and business should not be discussed was, of course, rigorously observed, but the workings of the Land Act and the decisions of the Bub-Commissioners were unreservedly discussed. We understand that in reply to the question what he thought of the Belfast and Castleblayney judgments, Mr. Parnell stated that the reductions of rent made by the SubCommissioners agree with the estimate he had formed— namely, that rents in Ulster should be reduced to Griffith's valuation. This in substance seemed to be the view of the Sub- Commissioners so far, and Mr. Parnell believes that as a consequence large numbers of the Northern tenants will resort to the Land Court.

♦• What about the South ?" was asked.

Mr. Parnell replied—" I believe the reductions in the South will probably not be as large as in the North, and I fear will not satisfy the tenants who appeal to the court. That at all events is my opinion." Asked how he thought the reduction of rents generally to Griffith's valuation would affect the landlords. Mr. Parnell said he thought the effect would be to drive many of the landowners into actual bankruptcy, while others would be reduced to great extremity. The bulk of the landlords had mortgages charges, and claims upon their estates, reaching in the aggregate to

sums equal to the rental of the Government valuation, and when the actual rental was lessened to that standard a state of things wonld ensue which would compel the Government to adopt the plan of buying out the landlords, or else they would be confronted with a claim for compensation for the landlords, whose living, in fact, depends; upon their exaction of rackrents above the Government valuation. The soundness of the policy of land reform based upon the transformation of tenants into proprietors would then become plain even to the most invererate opponents. Reference having been made to the mass of business now before the Land Commission, Mr. Parnell expressed his conviction that the appointment of six additional subcommissioners would not remove the block. "It should not be forgotten," Mr. Parnell added, '* that an enormous amount of money will be spent in law costs if the Land Court is invoked to the extent that you (the visitors) appear to believe. You say that 500,000 tenants will require to have a fair rent fixed. If they go to the court the cost upon each will be at least some pounds, and millions will thus go into the pockets of the lawyers." Replying to the observation that such an expenditure upon costs would hardly b<? made by the tenants.

Mr. Parnell agreed in that view, and said it was probable that a great number of tenants would arrange the rent question with their landlords instead of going to law. In connection with the resort to the Land Court, the furtherance of appeals and defraying of costs, all the advantages, the hon. gentleman felt, lay with the landlord party, who had organised their power and resources for the business, while the tenantry were without any organisation.

Passing from the topic of the Land Court,

Mr. Parnell, answering an interrogation as to the dietary supplied to the political prisoners, made this statement — " The cost of maintaining the suspects now in jail through the country is not less than £400 per week. This is a heavy burden upon the people, and we are now considering whether we shall not all in a little time content ourselves with the prison fare allowed by the Government while we remain in prison."

In reference to the above report the following telegram from Mr. Parnell from Kilmainham appeared in Tuesday's Freetnan: — The report published in this morning's Freeman purporting to give an account of an interview with me here on Saturday, is in almost every respect inaccurate and misleading, and altogether misrepresents my view of the recent decisions of Mr. Gladstone's subcommissioners.

The Freeman adds :—: —

In connection with the hon. gentleman's telegram, we feel bound to state that the particulars of the interview were communicated by one of Mr. ParneU's visitors, and the print gives accurately the version supplied to us.