MR. WILLIAM REDMOND M.P., AT KUMARA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 25, 19 October 1883, Page 21

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND M.P., AT KUMARA.

(JSumara Times, October 2.)' ' '• The expected return' of Mr. William Redmond, M;P., byj tram from Greymouth last evening to Kutnara, where/he had been advertised #) ,- make his second appearance on. a public platform in New Zealand as " a representative of the Irish National League, and- to advocate its claims to the sympathy of the colonists, .was made, an occasion for.a, great turn-out by the Catholics of this town. The tram was due from Greymouth at about six o'clock, and by that time 'upwards of 200 people had gathered at the station, where it was pretty generally known that an address was to he presented to Mr. Redmond, on his arrival. The Catholic brass band and St. Patrick's fife and drum band played a few lively airs at the station pending the arrival, of the tram, which did not take place till 6.45 p.m. > .Mr. Redmond was t accompanied from Greymouth by the Rev. Father O'Connoiyof Grey-* mouth, and on his arrival at Kumara was received hy the Rev. Fathers" Walhhe, of Kumara, and Ahero, of Ross, also by several delegates of; the Kumara Branch of the Irish National .Land -League. Mr. Ren"-',; mond was conducted by the Rev. Father Walshe to the steps at the booking-office door, when Mr. Duggan, the hon. secretary to the League, read the following address :— - :_. > 11 To W. Redmokb, Esq.. M.P., Representative of the Irish National League. " Sir,— We, the, Kumara Branch of the Irish National Land League, tender you a odad mille >/ailte on this your arrival at Kumara. s >. c ...,-. As Irishmeif we happily avail -ourselves of this opportunity to acknowledge the deep debt of gratitude we owe to the illustrious leaders of the Irish people, of whom you are the worthy representative. At the greatest personal sacrifices, in the face of a hostile Government, and in spite of a calumnious and servile Press, Charles Stuart Parnell and his valiant associates have guided our kindred throagh the most trying ordeals of agitation, famine, and coercion. "It is scarcely necessaiy to refer to the outrages which unhappily have been perpetrated during the stormy times of agitation ; but, while deploring these vile acts and expressing our abhorrence of the iniquitous laws which have driven some misguided men to so disgrace the national escutcheon, we repeat that our only aims are to obtain by fair and constitutional means the amelioration of the people of Ireland. " We regret extremely that the boasted British love of fair play, has been so outraged in parts of Australians to fefusa yon that which is your heritage as a free man — an opportunity of showing the Irish question from an Irish standpoint. We have confidence that the sense of justice and honeßty of our fellow-colonists of New Zealand will prompt them to adopt a more judicious and liberal course ; and, having once mastered the subject in all its bearings, extend their sympathy in the cause of justice. •' We now beg to announce as a tangible proof of our sincerity that we have a credit balance in the Bank of New South Wales for £120 95., which makes a total of £312 from this district in aid of the evicted tenant farmers of Ireland, and we trust that the sun of freedom shall soon illuminate our dear native land, when, by enjoying the privileges of self-government, she may rank among the nations of the earth. "In conclusion, we would remind our Irish fellow-colonists in the words of Byron, that to them we look for practical supp rt :— <c Trust not for freedom to the Franks, They have a king who buys and sells ; In native swords and native ranks The only hope of courage dwells. " (Signed by the officers of the Kumara Branch of the Irish National Land League.) - " John Hayes, President, " M. J. Malonev, Vice- President, " WILLTAM KrxusEN, Treasurer, " Michael Mtjbphy, Treasurer, " Patkick Duggan, Hon Sec. " Kumara, October 1, 1883." Several rounds of applause were given duriog the reading of the address. Mr. Redmond replied somewhat as follows : Mr. Duggan and the liish people of Kumara,— l thank you from the bottom of my heart — I thank you for the right Irish welcome you have given me hGre this evening. I take it that this welcome has not been given me through any merits of my own, but as the representative of a nation of Irishmen. (Applause.) I have come here on behalf of the Irish people to ask you to extend a hand of help to kith and kin to obtain for themselves happy homes and benign laws. (Hear, hear.) It has been said that it is wrong for us to come and war with the of this Colony about Irish grievances. We come not to war -«*dtb. any people ; we come to ask help to carry on an agitation to >^gfltain s\ mpathy for the Irish people for obtaining their national and constitutional rights. We are first to appeal to our own countrymen, secondly to appeal in the name of the country. But Ido not intend 1o dwell on this subject on this occasion, sir, but 1 ask you all to do me the honour to listen to me to-night ; I will promise you I will not cay anything offensive to any man or nationality. (Hear, hear.) It las been said that " Ireland's right is no man's wrong." (Applause.) Some of us have had to 6ufEer in various ways in upholdiug this maxim— some have been cast into prison, and deprived of many little comforts. I long for a_day when Ireland shall become that which she was years ago. (Applause.) I will now express my thanks to you from my Irish heart for the right Irish welcome you have given me. (Loud cheers.} Mr. J. J. Crofts, of Hokitika,_called for " Three cheers for Mr. Redmond 1 " " Three cheers for OharleaJStuart Parnell 1 " and " All the members of the Irish, National "Land League 1" which were severally given.

, ;/ ;^r., Redmond ami fch'e Rev. Fathers then took their seats in carriage's, and proceeded to' ttie 'town np -Main streetr and along Tui street to the residence of the Rev. Father Walshe, followed by the two bands of music, and^' large number of the people who thronged to the station. - Shortly before eight o'clock the bands again mustered, a,nd escorted Mr. Redmond and the priest's to the Theatre Royal/where M# Redmond gaye his advertised lecture on •' The Aims and' Objects of the Irish National League. ' '' ' (Kumara Tinuis, Oct. 3J " There was a Tery large attendance at the Theatre Royal onrMonday evening, to hear Mr. W. K. Redmond, M.P. for Wexford (Bcrough),,lTeland> deliver an address on" The Aims and Objectß of the Irish, <Natiopal League." Between 400 and 500 persons were present, including a large number of the fair- Sex, 'and people of all creeds- and ,qpin.ions"., r The Rev. Father Walshe presided^ and the following gentlemen were accommodated with! seats on th'e_pla&?rm : —The Rev. Father-O' Connor,' of dreymouth ; the Bey. Father Ahem, of Ross* Messrs.,?. Duggan, D. Hannan,, W. Killeeii, J. Hayes,. M. J. Mahoney, J. Mulvihill, P. Dungan, J. JV Crofts, $.' O'Hagan, JVGilbert, and P. Foley. j.- , , , ,', v ' ' J The R6V. M. Walshe, addressing the ladies and gentlemen ,>aid that upon 7 him devolved the very pleasing ( duty of acting 'as:chairman of the present meeting ; and when the Committee appointed to arrange fora cordial-reception of our worthy friend Mr. W. Redmond first asked- me to ; occupy the chair, on. that occasion, I consider'^hat they have indeed paid me a very great honourjand, complhhfehi. - 1 fully appreciate that honour, and cordially thank the' committee iv appointing me to a position which I-£eel both a pleasure and a pride in fulfilling. Yes, it is indeed to me a great pleasure to act as chairman at this meeting, since I believe in doing so I am supportiug a cause which, though much- maligned- and misrepresented, is not only just, reasonable, and constitutional, bafc even ' charitable. In saying this I believe I am only expressing the views of every true, loyal, patriotic, well-informed Irishman ; and I myself "believe that had the history of this political agitation in favour of Ireland been thoroughly understood, that this statement 'would; be admitted by every fa.ir, honest, liberal-minded English, or Scotchman, or whatever be his nationality. (Applause.) •It is needless for me here to state that this political agitation. in favour of Ireland -has already attracted the attention of the civilised world. Any person feeling ' interested in the matter, and wishing to form a fair or impartial opinion will, I know, feel interested in hearing the second eide of the question clearly argued. Here in the colonies the history of this political agitation' ia presented to us from a purely English standpoint — sometimes in .the most malignant, grossly false, and unscrupulous manner. Tbis"evening^however, we shall have the pleasure of hearing the question treated from an Irish standpoint, supported from statistics from i eminent Englishmen. The person about to address you is a true and already tried son of Ireland — an M.P. represetrting Wexford, one of the ancient historic towns of Ireland, whose constituents have returned Mr. Redmond the representative, on a gr«at majority of votes over the O'Connor Don, in the absence of Mr. Redmond from Ireland; whilst he was vindicating the cause of Ireland in a foreign land, on the distant shores of Australia. (Applause.) This is the gentleman whom I have the pleasure of, introducing to you this evening, and for whom I ask a fair and impartial hearing of this present audience. (Loud applause.) Mr. Redmond (who was greeted with loud cheers upon rising), addressing Father Walshe, ladies and gentlemen, said, he must at the commencement of bis addresß ask the favour of quiet during his lecture this evening. For the last three or four weeks he had been travelling and working hard day and night, and therefore he asked their indulgence. (Hear, hear.) The objects for which he and his brother left Ireland were for the purpose of- accomplishing two things : First, they desired to enlist sympathy and goodwill of the people for the -rights of Ireland ; and, secondly, to despatch to Ireland as much money as possible to the Irish National League, to continue the agitation cf the Land League ; for it was no use hiding the fact that they were asking the money for the Irish to enable them, in the name of Mr. Paraell, to agitate in the British Parliament for those rights for Ireland of which she had been robbed. They had already held great meetings in Australia, wheTe they had raised £11,000 sterling. Tbey had received an amount of opposition which they did not expect in a free Colony ; they had been refused halls whicb. had been given to religious bodies, and to some who had scandalised that religion which you profess. Since they came to Australia they had received much vilification : his brother and he had been stigmatised as persoas who were collecting money for unworthy purposes — for crime and assassination in Ireland, These charges were not only against ourselves, but against every Irish man and woman. Therefore he stigmatised every such accusation as a lie — a foul calumny, which no honest or brave man would make to a stranger in a strange land. (Applause.) There were certain newspapers numbering upon their editorial staff members of religious bodies who were accusing him a? a man whose hands were stained in blood. Yet what was taking place at Home, where he was best known ? At tlje very same period his own countrymen at Home were actually electing him as their representative to sit in the Parliament of the British nation. (Cheers.) In future you will know how to regard these statements. (Applause.) He wished now to speak of the Irish National League, and what the League hoped to accomplish for Ireland. In 1879, chiefly through the instrumentality of Michael Davitt and 31r. John W. Walshe (who is absent this evening), the liish National Land League started into existence. The first demand of the League was that landlordism should be cast out of Ireland— tree, root, and branch. For centuries have the Irish farmers begged from their landlords and masters to live upon the land of- .their forefathers ; and time after time have ,these overtures been ' scorned and rejected by the landlords till the Irish people determined to rise and band together to appeal that the land of their

forefatKeW'W6dlft':be/Tesiotecli^(Appla'a*.) iSiffice it to say that the principles of the Land League were rallied- round — " the land for , the people, and) Ireland for tiae Irish." (Applause.) The only principle was tbat landlordism should be abolished in- Ireland. This, confiscation: otlhe Jwids haa been the caose of all the misery in Ireland. Time after time thousands of people hare been carried away from Ireland, yet there was room for them and to spare. And he would say it here this evening, it was his opinion and the opinion of much greater men than himself, that landlordism was responsible for every drop of blood shed in Ireland. He took it that he was speaking to an audience composed almost exclusively of Irish men and Irish women ; there is scarcely one bat is driven away from their country." He remembered reading in the, London Times and Satur' day Review -that the Irish were dying" away from, their country as the Bed Indian from Manhattan. From every quarter of the world -there are Irishmen who are crying from the four corners of the earth that Ireland should be at liberty at la 6t — that Ireland , should "break the fetters of liberty. (Applause.) What has been the position ( of Ireland 2- It must be universally admitted that poverty, starvation, and misery exist in Ireland' at the present time. This was owing to one or other of three causes : Either the people are lazy, or the" land is poor, or is overpopulated. So far from its being over-popfllatad, it was a land deserted.' He preferred to give his own experience of what he had seen. In the county of Kildare one of the richest in Ireland— wheref lie had spent six of tie happiest years of his life in a Jesuit College there — take that country alone, miles and miles of acres of land could be traversed without meeting a single iperson, Jb'ut here and there were to be seen the ruins of habitations, the only remaining evidence of the blighting influence which had been shed by lahdlord^ggfty None of thise three' reasons therefore could ever hold good for me admittedly tinprosperous state.of Ireland to-day. At the best of times an" Irish firmer could scarcely pay rent and support their families. He had seen.farmers denying themselves, their wives, and heir children the necessary articles of furniture and necessaries of life in order to pay the rent. He had found in some districts as many as twenty pawn-tickets which had been obtained- for various articles in order to face the landlord so as to save the eviction of the family from their home. Several were not able to live at all. There may be men to whom it is impossible they can understand these circumstances. He had been told by farmers themselves that they were not able to pay th^ rent demanded ; and on the one hand they were threatened with eviction if the rent was not paid, whilst on the other their wives an.d children were looking out for bread. It was so many cases of this ' character that called Parnell and Dillon to America that they might keep the Irish people aliTe. That money went to keep thousands and thousands of people who must have been driven from their homes. In many cases' latterly the Irish tenants have seen it necessary to feed their children and clothe themselves before paying landlords the rent. (Hear, hear.) Messrs. Parnell and Dillon deserved the respect of Irish people all over the world. (Applause.) He would make this statement. The Land League had not progressed very far with its mission before Parliament thought neccessary to imprison Parnell and one thousand of its leaders. Of this the landlords took advantage, and shortly after Parnell's imprisonment, evictions bogan to multiply to an alarming extent. Unfortunately, the money subscribed for the relief of . tenants and their families could not be made use of. This led to the re-organisa-tion of the Ladies' Irish Land League for the distribution of the money. He was truly gratified to learn on his arrival in Kumara that there was a Ladies' Irish Land League in formation. The Laud League was formed to constitutionally bring about a peasant proprietary. It had partly succeeded. He had shown how far the Land League had proceeded, on its road. Upon it has been built up the Irish National League, to take up the work where left off by the Land League when it was suppressed. But the National League has a wider programme than the Land League. _ It also demanded for Ireland the restoration of tbat Parliament which for so many years legislated so wisely for the country, and by restoration of which only they could look forward to peace and prosperity. (Applause.) Last year there had been thrown out of house and home upon the roadside 36,000 people who were as much entitled to the land as the landlords. This number comprised 5200 families who were cast adrift. Last November tweive months he met Miss Parnell, who, hearing that be was so disposed, asked him to go and witness some evictions that were to take place on the borders of Wexford and Carlow, not far fron Newtonbarry. He went, and was met at the statioa by she Rev. Father Delaney, who drove him ia his trap to the scene of the evictions. He remembered the day as if it were but yesterday. It was a cold .bitter day, the hills were covered with snow, and icicles hung dripping from the trees. On the roadside were three miserable cottages, ia which no freebom Australian would think of housing his horses or his dogs. From these the families were to be evicted, not because theycould not pay their rent, but because they had become members rffthe National Land League, and had attended some meeting. ti^^vtf he could realise the fact tbat these hovels were human habitajons, some 50 police teen drew up and arranged themselves iound those dwellings ; they were accompanied by three or four men in plain olothes, armed with hatchets. Admittance was demanded. The people within maintained a sullen silence. Those with hatchets were then ordered to advance aud break down the doors. Every article of household furniture, beds, and remnants were thrown out on to the snow-clad road. Then from the houses went a procession of «ld men and womeo, young children clinging to tbeir parents and wondering at the scene, and in ignorance of their fate. He remembered one poor old woman throwing up her arms as she came out, an-1 exclaiming, " My God, I have lived here sixty years, and now there is no roof to cover my grey hairs." As he stood and watched that scene he registered a vow silently that he would devote his life in order that he might rid Ireland of that baneful system of eviction which caused women and children to be jk>. treated. Sir, there are people who declare that emigration is the course which the Irish people should make use of. The members of these three evicted

< families, numbering eighteen, were left >with their farnitqre on, the ditch's side. . They emigrate 1- Among them there was hot only^ not eaongh to enable them to emigrate, bat there was not among them all enough 'to bring them to the nearest village to obtain food or shelter for the night ; for, mark you, policemen were stationed wiili fixed bayonets to. prevent them re-entering their homes. But "he thanked God that in his pocket there was the money of the Irish , National Land League, wherewith he had found relief and protect tion for these unfortunate people in their holdings. The Irish National Land League was constituted to bring about a remedy, and to recover by fair and equitable means, the land for the rightful owners. From the time when Mr. Gladstone, frightened into, a momentary consciousness of the injustice under which Ireland suffered, introduced his Land Act of 1870 down to 1881, there had been no less than 31 bills introduced, all of which had been thrown aside contemptuously.' Mr. Butb, in 1876, introduced, a bill by an overwhelming majority. This was the state of affairs when Charles Stuart Parnell commenced toAd-vooate the cause of the Irish. (Ap~ plause.) And it was not until, Mr. Parnell and the Irish members" saw that the Government would not listen to their demands, and endeavour to redress their grievauces, that Mr. Parnell's party entered" on that policy which had earned for itself the title of the obstructive policy.. (Applause,) , He told the Government that unless they agreed to listen to. the crjing demands of ■ the people^ he and his colleagues would put their feet down and obstruct, business. Time after time men were Bent to Parliament from Ireland to support Mr. Parnell in his obstructive policy, until in a. few. years, ha, bad twenty members by bis side. (Applause.) And 'so in August, 1880, Mr, Gladstone brought in his bill entitled, " Compensation for Disturbance Bill." Mr. Gladstone, m introducing this measure, declared with great solemnity to the representatives- of Great Britain and Ireland that " there- were a certain number of people in Irelandunder sentence of eviction, to whom sentence of eviction was equal to sentence of death," and unless it were passed, some 15,000 people would suffer eviction — and eviction meant to suffer death by Btarya,*, toin. This Bill prevented eviction within a certain period ; it wak a paltry measure, bat it had some effect, .and a cry pf joy went np from Ireland. But another institution — an institution elected by nobody — the representatives of nobody— these people, the noble House of Lords, threw the Bill out. The hopes of Ireland were- thus -J shattered. The Irish party then waited to s.e the next step Mr. Gladstone would take. He made not one more single effort to stand between the people and the death which he himself said was awaiting them. It was then, and not till then, that Charles. Stuart Parnell and. Michael Davitt joined Lands, and, raising the standard* of the Land League, gathered round it the manhood ot the country, and swore, come what might, come weal, come woe, never more to quietly lie down to starve amid plenty. (Loud applause.) The principal object of the - Land League then formed was to bring about the abolition of landlordism and the establishment of a peasant proprietary by, legal and constitutional means.. No distinction was to be made between the landlords, whether they got the land by paying for it, or by confiscation— they were all to be paid a fair and just value for the land taken from them. How did they succeed in this object ? Landlordism still lived, but i :s backbone was broken, and the day was not far distant w-hsn it would bo no more. — (Applause^) The Land League had male three great achievements — first, they induced, by fearless agitation, the Government to introduce and deal with the Land Bill of 1881 ; second, they compelled the landlords, by way of reductions in rent, to disgorge, so to speak, £3,000,000 ; and the third and greatest achieves ment was the instilling into the minds of the people a spirit of independence and determination which would never allow the doings of the past to be re-enacted. —(Sear, heaT.) He remembered on rent days seeing the poor farmers, with hat in hand, meekly standing bafore the agent ; and, seeing them whea a well-dressed stranger, came along the road, stand oa one side, and numbly bow with uncovered head for fear he might be a friend of the laHdlord. — (Laughter and applause.) The Land League bad changed all this and there would-be no more bowing or scraping, and no more doffi.'ig of hats to broadcloth coats. The Irish members bad found, upon careful scrutiny of Mr. Gladstone's Land Bill, that it required amendment, there being three great defects iv it. The first was that, while it appointed courts to fix the rents, it enacted that no man who held land under lease, at na matter how exorbitant a rent, could have any benefit from the court. No less than 150,000 farmers held leases, for which they had to* pay heavy rents under compulsion, the only alternative being to die or emigrate to a strange land. The second defect was that the Government, while admitting the rents to be exorbitant, said that all arrears up to the last penny of these exorbitant Tents must be paid np before they could get a benefit of the measure. The third great defect was that the Government proposed only to advaace three-fourths of the purchase money, when they could reasonably be expected to advance the whole of it. The Govornmenjfc unfortunately refused to listen to Mr. Parnell's amendments. Mr. Gladstone was a great man, and his intentions • were good, and he would no doubt have been prepared to give to Ireland a great deal if he could have been sure of his party following him. But he was at the very bottom of his character an inordinately vain man, and his vanity was wounded because fault was found with his bill, and refused to the Parnell party the amendments they demanded. Mr. Parnell at this conceived the idea of testing the Land Act, by taking from each parish in Ireland three or four cases of rack rent, to be decided before the land commissioners first. With 600,000 tenant farmers in the land, Mr. Parnell's proposition was a very commendable one, when the saving of legal expense to the tenant, and also to the landlords, was considered. In every point of. view it was a fair and equitable proposal, but Mr. Gladstone refused to listen to it. When organising the scheme, Mr. Gladstone, in a moment he never ceased to regret, caused Mr. Forster to throw Mr. Parnell and others •into prison. What had been the result? The Land Act reduped the rents 25 per cent., and there was an all-round reduction of £75,000 per annum which cost £350,000 to bring about. If this reduction was to be a permanent one, the result would be satisfactory. But the

reduction was to be in fcrfce'for fifteen yeaf^'and by the time the land commissioners had'decided v th'elas£'case, i the case. recently decided would come up again. Had Mr.ParrieU's scheme been' allowed, this large expenditure in law costs would not have occured. Mr; Gladstone had learned to regret the foolishness of his act. in putting the leaders of the league in prison when the people of Ireland were in an excited state. On the Land League platform - Irishmen stood all blended together, including Protestant/ Presbyterian, Catholic and Methodist clergymen, rich and poor, great and small, with one aim, and with a determination never to let any little difference in creed stand between them and the social and political reforms they desire. — (Applause.) Mr. Redmond then referred to the special objects of the National Land League which included the suppression of crimes such vile men as James Carey have brought about.— (Sear, hear, and applause.), And,- sir, open agitation to influence the Government to restore the land to the people and the settlement of Irish national affairs. We ask just what yon have in. New Zealand— Home fiule. We have only 100 Irish members but of 600. in Parliament; so that! no matter how insignificant a measure brought forward — a local law, a railway, or a fisher's bill— unless a majority of the English and Scotch members are favourable, the bill is thrown out. All we want is to have control 'over oar own affairs, the same as you have in New' Zealand ; and we are going' to get that if we can.— (Applause.) They were going to send '80 young men to' Parliament who would make them give us self-government. We can hold the balance of power betweenthe liberals and, Conservatives ; and we are willing to go on [with this agitation. We demand a settlement of the land question, the abo^ion of the grand "jury laws, the establishment of county boards — stb. as you have here, he believed, and-Teform of the franchise. Not^ sir, we want you to support us in Ireland. He was afraid he bad kept his hearers too Jong —(A voice: No.) Let those people who say so understand that there is not one iota of evidence to connect the National League .with crime. The authorities of England or of Dublin Castle were bound to know more about these matters than gentlemen out here. Support us, then, in the aims of the National League, which will help us ; we are willing to suffer anything. He would to God he had the eloquence of Demosthenes. Think of me (Mr. Redmond continuea) as if you were hearing Parnell. There is one who is on our side— the God of Hosts ; and he hoped it -would long be so. Mr. Redmond concluded a very eloquent appeal for assi/tance with the following lines by Sir Charles Gavan Duffy :—: — "They banned our faith, they banned our lives, they trod as into earth, Until our very patience stirred their bitter hearts to mirth ; Even this great flame that wraps them now, not we, but they have Yes 1 this is their own work ! and now their work be on their head. " — (Loud applause.) Mr. D. Hannan then proposed to change the name of the, Kumara Branch League. He instanced the time when he was a hoy and seeing several evictions. He then proposed — " That this meeting, having heard the aims and objects of the Irish National League so ably and eloquently explained by Mr. William Redmond, M.P., hereby pledges itself to abopt its programme ; and that we now alter the name of the Kumara Branch of the Irish National Land League, to that of Kumara Branch of the Irish National League." Mr. M. J. Maloney said, an exile from the land of his birth and a colonist of twenty -four years 1 standing, he had much pleasure in seconding the resolution proposed by Mr. Hannan. The leaders of the Irish people have deemed it wise to change their political platform, and we, the Irish men and women of Kumara, cannot do better than follow in their footsteps. — (Applause.) The Chairman then put the resolution, called for a show of hands, and declared it carried unanimously, Mr.W. Killeen then proposed— " That a subscription list be now opened for the purpose of assisting in carrying out the aims and objects of the Irish National League." Mr. J. Gilbert seconded the resolution, which was also carried unanimously. Mr. Dungan said that the wished to propose a vote of thanks to Mr. Redmond iv visiting Kumara, and for the excellent lecture delivered that evening relative to the Irish question. When they considered for one moment the dangers braved by this gentleman in leaving Ireland and coming to these distant colonies : when they considered also the labours undergone and the anxieties of mind to be borne with in pursuit of that mission which he was delegated to to carry out : and bearing in mind the many difficulties surrounding his position, the misrepresentation and abuse heaped upon him, the hostile criticism met with and to be replied to— to show and to prove that the cause which he had espoused was both a just and a good one, that the cause which he represented and so ably advocated was one ofjf^ice on behalf of a sorely -tried and long-suffering people and an and honoured nation : he (Mr. Dn.ngan) was quite sore that tWproposition which he was requested to move would meet with the hwirtiest approval of the audience. In desiring to say a few words touching the objects of the meeting, he might remark in the first place, that Mr. Redmond's lecture was both temperate in tone and interesting in matter, ably pleading, as he has done, the cause of his country and its ultimate regeneration ; and he has also set forth plain and comprehensive statements showing the evils attending the land system in Ireland, for history undeniably proves that Irish tenant farmers — that the Irish cottiers— have had forced upon them for their inheritance, an abject state of servitude, of poverty, and of rags. And as a further illustration to the tender mercies of beneficent law, the Irish landlords, generation after generation, have been armed with— and exercised to the full — a life and death power over the tiller of the soil, in Ireland, where has existed solong, a reiga of such unbridled power and deeds of cruelty. He would not speak of the fair plains of Leinster depopulated ; he would not speak of the sunny south, Mundter ; of the fertile valleys, of ruined homes, and of broken hearts ; he would not speak of the wild west, whose simple, yet sturdy and industrious people, amid the terrors of the crowbar brigade, have

clung with love and devotion to that soil which the Almighty has given them as their birthright. But of Ulster; he had one word to say : not long ago an eviction took place in Donegal : young and old were turned out of their homes, and their houses levelled to the ground, their only, refuge being the roadside arid the ditch, to starve and to die. So shocking was the spectacle presented, that the London Times — never a friend to Ireland — in scathing language denounced the whole proceeding as a -heinous scandal in the face of the civilised world. This was but one instance of hundreds of i similar kind that have been enacted in Ireland, and some of very recent date. , We have only to look ,to the history of the last forty years, and what a record does it not show 2 Ireland, in 1845 had a. , population of over eight millions of people. Ireland of to-day is reduced to five millions ! What has become of "her people ? There was one answer to the question, ;there was one ' answer for impartial inquiry, and it was this : Tbroaghout'the length and breadth of the land during those years of terrible . trouble and of tribulation, and under the working of iniquitous landlawe,' devastation, exile, and death followed the footstep i 'and was. the Wtter lot of this unhappy people. . Mr. Redmond's mission' was to*' assist in the laudable of "getting a full measure 'of justice for the tenant" farmers of Ireland, in order that they., and the labourers may be enabled to feed and clothe themselves, "and live' in some degree of comfort, and not in '.wretchedness, misery 'and rags —that •too [ loag have been the -beggars' pittance in their natives land, Irish people feel for, -and love their country, and from-the- splendid services-renderedby her children to England, and in the'Mame ofi justice and of right, her wants should; receive every consideration, and' their grievances be passed home for redress. The Irish people -deserve to see 'their country in a state of comfort, and contentment, and in .the' possession; of those political rights and liberties— a participator in {hose: solid advantages enjoyed by so many countries and which' goto"' make up the greatness of the British Empire. — (Loud Applause.) , Mr. D. Hannan had great pleasure insecondingthe vote of thanks to Mr. Redmond. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Redmond was extremely obliged for the kind vote given him. He could assure them that it was no pleasant task to travel about ; but it was pleasant to tind so many kind friends as he had met here. He thanked them on behalf of Mr. Parnell and the people of Ireland. He would say that he and his brother had been everywhere well received during their mission by Catholic priests and the Irish people. He promised them the people at Home should have a full and faithful report. He would now ask for a hearty cheer for the chairman, the Rev. Father Walshe, for his kindness in taking the chair ;it did not need a seconder. Mr. W. Redmond here stated that as be would have to spend a night at Kumara on his return from the coast, he had resolved to devote the evening in giving a lecture to Father Walshe in aid of his church. The subject of the lecture would be " An Hour with Irish Poets." It was a subject which he was sure would be much more attractive to the ladies than what he had been speaking about to-night. . . - The motion for a vote of thanks to the chair was carried by acclamation. - • A subscription list was then opened by Mr. ■Redmond in aid of the Irish National League. Mr. Duggan, on behalf of the Kumara Branch Irish National Land League handed over thebalance the Kumara Branch League *ad to their credit' in the bank, £120 9s. The Rev. Father Walshe gave £5 ss; then .contributions in cash flowed in freely till the amount was swelled to £51, or in all £171 9s. This, with the amount realised by the sale of tickets and admission to the lectures will make a grand total of .over £220.

More Germans have emigrated to Canada this season than in any previous year. Mr. Parnell, M. P. is having his shooting lodge at Aughavanna, Aughrim, fitted up for a large party of sportsn&en who are to accompany the hon. gentlemen as soon as the session closes. The people are preparing to give their benefactor and his friends an enthusiastic reception. After an arduous and edifying Confirmation tour in the Deanery of Clifden, in the different, parishes of which 1,400 children- were confirmed, his Grace Most Rev. Dr. M'Evilly proceeded to Westpbrt. His Grace was pleased to observe the signal collapse of proselytism and of its baneful effects in the- district- of , Clifden, and "- indeed* all through ConnemaTa. The curse of barrenness appears to have blighted all the efforts of proselytism. The paid agents -alone 1 remain. The death-stroke of ConnemaTa proselytism has been given by the erection of numerous Catholic schools, that now. dot the entire district. , These schools have sprung up as if by magic in every qHarter, their neat exteriors and frequent crowds of iappy children speaking in v elo,quent contrast to the fast blackening walls and empty benches r of- the proselytisers. On Thursday his Graec confirmed 500 children in the parish church of Westport. The Archbishop paid' a well-merited compliment to the priests and nuns for their successful efforts in preparing the candidates for confirmation. Having administered the temperance pledge to all that were confirmed, he strongly urged the children to observe faithfully the saving promise that they- made to abstain from the intoxicating drinks, and thus perserve themselves from its attendant curses. ' Let them guard with jealous care the priceless graces that the Holy Ghost had this day brought with Him into their souls. Let them continue the good fight to the end, fer it is to him only who fights and conquers at the end, that the crown is promised. Of what avail is it to live virtuously to-day if to-morrow we sin and die in sin i Our doom will then be everlasting woe, despite the virtues that we have failed to preserve and the merits that we have foolishly forfeited. Perseverance then is the crowning grace, the blissful consummation oE life that we ought all pray for. We may not merit it, but we stall surely obtain it by prayer. , Pray for it to-day and you shall surely obtain it to-day. Cease to pray for it any' day, and you expose yourself to the peril of being lost.—? Dublin, Freeman,