THE REDMOND MISSION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 24, 12 October 1883, Page 13

THE REDMOND MISSION.

(From the Morning HeraWs correspondent.)

ReeftonQdtober 9. Mb. Redmond left Greymouth in a private conveyance, and when nearing Reefton was met by a large body of horsemen • and traps, which formed in procession and escorted him back to town. Arrived at M'Griffin's Hotel, the county chairman (Patrick -Brennan, Esq.) read an address of welcome, to which Mr. Redmond responded from an upper window in very appropriate terms/ He thanked them for their kind and hearty welcome. In the evening Mr. Redmond addressed- a large and enthusiastic meeting in the Oddfellows' Hall, which was crowded to excess. Mr. Brennan, the chairman, in introducing the lecturer, remarked that the land question about to be discussed was not a Protestant or a Catholic question ; it was not exclusively an Irish question, but it was a question of deep interest to the people of New Zealand, lest at no distant date she should find herself in the same position as Ireland. Mr. Redmond was received with great' enthusiasm. He craved the indulgence and attention of the meeting, seeing that he had only been twelve days on the Coast, and in that time had travelled and addressed eight meetings, and was in conseqaence exhausted. He complained of the bigotry and prejudice of the Australian Press in stirring up animosity. He stated that his mission was of a twofold character — Ist, to educate the public on the question, and explain the demand of the National League ; secondly, to obtain money to relieve distress, and promote the agitation begun four years ago in Mayo. He held the landlords responsible for famines, rebellions, and every drop of blood that had been shed for those despotic laws by which 1000 men had been imprisoned last year. He then spoke of the three causes which produce misery and degradation, viz. : (1) Lack of industry ; (2) bad soil ; (3) over-population— to each of which he adverted at length, and showed that in no sense were they applicable to Ireland and the Irish. The half of Ireland is held by 740 individuals, and there are only 12,000 in all against five million of people. If the British army of 60,000 men were withdrawn—" a larger force than was sent to the Crimea " — landlordship would fall in twenty-fours. The strongest argument against the existing circumstances is that no system can be good in any country that requires 60,000 bayonets to support it. He pointed out the difficulty of realising the position in which the people were placed. They had the farmer and the landlord— the agent and the constabulary on the one hand threatening eviction and demanding reut ; on the other, a poor tenant with hie children crying for bread, famishing before his eyes, through no fault of his own. They were loath to leave their homes, could not pay their rents, and consequently starved to death. After an interesting but harrowing description of an eviction of which he had been an eye-witness, the lecturer described the future prospects of the National League in calm, moderate, convincing terms. A phalanx of 8u supporters in the new Parliament, all true men, must, he said, contribute to success. After au address of two hours duration, to over 300 people, during which no unnecessary invective or vituperation was indulged in, the lecturer concluded in calm terms highly indicative of settled conviction in the right. Father Rollin proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was carried euthusiastically. Farther business connected with the matter, in the shape of a subscription list, closed the proceedings, and from tbe appearance of the list it is likely to do credit to Reefton.