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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 6, 30 May 1884, Page 11

The Western People says :— There is a rumour afloat which we have very good reason to consider genuine, that within the last fortnight clerks of unions in the West hava been offered a capitation bribe of 5s upon those whom they can induce to leave or inveigle out of the country. The circular is marked " private and confidential " ; but it i 3 well the people should understand its terms. It is anticipated that the clerks of unions to whom this debasing circular has been sent will resent the insult in the manner it deserves. Mr. Parnell's advice to the Irish people to refuse to pay the "blood-tax " voluntarily is being gradually adopted. " Canon O Donnell, parish priest of Doon, has allowed himself to be summoned for his portion of a tax levied for malicious injuries which somebody, it is alleged, has received. His poition of the tax is five pence, and he holds that to charge him with this sum, when it. is bis duty as a priest to condemn crime, is in a special nianuer insulting. In Greagh, also, the people state that they will re*i»t to the last the payment of the blood-tax. The manner in which the police are determined to realise this impost was shown in Greagb on Thursday week, when a sergeant of police insisted on taking: a horse woitb £10 to meet a demand for 13s l^d. The horse was taken from the plough and all work had then to be suspended. Mr. John Daly, the owner of the animal, alleges that he pointed out other stock which might have been distrained, and the seizure of which would not have interrupted the ploughing operations, but the police would insist, he says, on taking the horse. In the : Gxeenagh district, county Cork.on Tuesday, there was a sale of cattle which had been Beized to realise a further ft blood-tax."— Nation, April 5.