ARRIVAL OF MR. W. REDMOND, M.P.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 26, 26 October 1883, Page 5

ARRIVAL OF MR. W. REDMOND, M.P.

(From' the Otago Daily Times.)

A large number of people assembled at the railway-station on Saturday evening to meet Messrs. J. E. and W. Redmond and Walshe, who were expected to arrive by the Noithcrn expre s. On the arrival of the train, Messrs. J. B. Callan, J. Carroll, F. Mecnan. J. J. Connor, and other members of the Reception Committee, met Messrs. W. Redmond and Walshe— Mr. J. E. Redmond having left the train at Timaru — and conducted them to the carriages prov'ded by the Committee. While the party were proceeding along the platform, the visitors were warmly cheered, and only one or two non sympathisers made a couutrr-cVmonstration. Shortly after the arrival of the party at the City Hotel, they assembled in one of the sittingrooms for the purpose of hcariDg the following address, which was read by Mr. J. B. Callan :— "To'W. Redmond, Esq.,M.T.

" Dear Sir, — We, the undersigned, have be n n deputed to bid you welcome to Dunedin. In doing so, we may be permitted to say that most of us have lived for many yeais in these new and splendid Colonies, snd we have learned to know and appreciate to their fullest extent the blessings which flow from their free constitutions. But the prosperity which here is within the reich of every man who chooses to work for it. has not deadened our sympathy for the distress and misery of Irishmen in the Old Country. They are our fntrymen. Many of us count amongst them relatives and friends, sir interests and welfare, therefore, are on many grounds dear to We know that something has been done in the past few years to improve their condition ; but we know also that what has been accomplished ia the past has been gained entirely by great and persistent agitation. That great public reforms spring only from such agitation the stubborn facts of history too plainly show. The men who fought for Catholic Emancipation, for repeal of the corn laws, for the first Reform Bill, were maligned and abused as agitators and revolutionists by the same section of the Press which to-day though it does not now dare to deny that the men who originated these measures were great public benefactors— leses no opportunity of holding up yourself, sir, and your colleagues of the Land League, to public odium as firebrands and disturbers of the peace. This we think eminently unjust, because the policy you advocate, namely, that Ireland should be allowed to legislate for herself in domestic matters— that is to say, that she should have the same privileges, for example, as New Zealand has, and th<i further improvement of the land laws— so far from containing in it elements calculated to provoke discord or angry feeling, should commend itself to every fair and unprejudiced mind.

" We at all events think that such a policy is a just and right one, and demands from us our active support. Misguided men, it is true| have committed great crime — crime for which the Land League is not responsible, bat which has nevertheless raised up opposition more baneful to the objects of the league than the nighty interests previously arrayed against it. We deeply deplore this crime ; but we fail to see that because of it agitation is to cpase so long as abuses which will be remedied only by agitation, call out for redress. '•It is in this spirit, sir, we hold out to you the hand of welcome to you who, with Mr. Parnell, Mr. Davitfc, and the other leaders of the Land League, have, with the true courage of reformers, hesitat'd not to encounter contumely and obloquy in the self-imposed task of lifting the millions of our countrymen in Ireland from the hopeless misery to which bad legislation had consigned them. — We are. etc. " J. B. Caiman ' " F. Meek an " J. CARROLL '• J. P. Armstrong "J. J. Connor, Secretary." Mr. Redmond replied as follows :— Gentlemen, for the address which you have just presented to me, and for the expressions of confidence in us which it contains, lam deeply grateful. You must be very well aware of the fact that since I, my brother, and our colleague, Mr. Walshe, anived in Australia and New Zealand wo have received a very great amount of unfair — I may say extremely unscrupulous—opposition. Certain sections of the Press, and pertain sections of the peoples of those countries, have treated us with the utmost unfairne.^s, and have wilfully — I must repeat the word wilfully in very many instances, misinterpreted our motives in coming here and the objects of our mission. Now I do not think that we could have gone on with our mission in Australia and New Zealand had not we from time to time received from our countrymen expressions of confidence such as are contained in your address to-night. A "great deal of misapprehension exists with regard to our mission in this country. It may be well for me to say at the outset that our objects aj>'e strictly constitutional and strictly loyal : and I may say that no person, no matter of what nationality or creed he may be, that may do my brother or myself the honour of coming to listen to us will hear from our lips one single word to wound the feelings of any class, sect, or section of people whom this city may contain. (Hear hear.) We are only engaged in a constitutional agitation, open and in the light of day— an agitation which courts publicity, and which has nothing at all to conceal ; an agitation which has for its object the obtainment for Ireland of certain rights which wore enjoyed by the people of every free country, and particularly in a full decree by the people of these Colonies. We ask nothing for Ireland more than the people of these free Colonies enjoy ; and nothing Irs3, I can assure you will satisfy the men who are carrying on this agitation in Ireland. — (Hear, hear.) It is unnecessary for me to speak at any hngth upon this occasion, as you must perceive that I am extremely weary from over-travel and over-exertion consequent upon my recent tour through the western portion of this island. I can only say, in concision, that we are deeply grateful to you for this address, and that my brother and I hope that people of all classes and of all sections of public opinion will come to listen to our lectures. I can promise m advance that they shall simply hear us state the reasonable demands of the Irish people, and hear us relate the reasonable

and fair means we propone to use in order to obtain those demands. In some places we have not been so well received as in Dunedin. Certainly, I am very much gratified indeed with the reception you have given me. I lecognise very fully that in receiving me .in the kind and patriotic manner in which you have, you wish to convey not only a token of personal esteem to my brother and myself, but you also wish unmistakeably to show that you are determined to uphold your allegiance to Ireland, the land of your forefathers ; and that you are determined to support in every way in your power the loyal and constitutional agitation of which Mr. Parnell is the honoured chief and leader. Once more allow me to thank you sincerely.—CApplause).