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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 6, 1 June 1888, Page 17

The cheerful information reaches us that another cargo of Chinese, on their way to this colony, have arrived at Sydney. The petition, meantime, presented to Parliament by the Chinese in Auckland, so far from recommending their case to public consideration, furnishes additional reasons for opposing the admission of their countrymen. These worthies boldly assert their right to come as they please and settle in the Colony, and declare that their pulling down the rate of wages mast be recognised as a great benefit. The petition gives us ample reason to suspect that these people have come to a deliberate determination to over-run the colonies — and even in itself alone justifies a resolute resistance. It is stated that Government refuse to permit the Union Company to bring on the batch arrived in Sydney to New Zealand, and it is to be hoped they will remain steadfast in their refusal, rejecting every modification of it.

The prospects of Home Bule, according to the latest reports, seem bright. The by-election at Southampton, resulting in the victory of the Gladstonite candidate by a large majority over the Conservative aodfor the seat just vacated by a Conservative,sbows how things are going even in constituencies most favourable to the Tories. The fact, moreover, that Mr. Chamberlain has issued a Home Bule scheme in strong opposition to coercion, if it be true, as seems reasonable enough, is of much significance. On the whole there is no cause for depression, and the signs of the times seemjparticularly encouraging.

To glance at the snobbish jargon of " Puff " in the Wellington Press, as we do once in the course of a month or so just to see things at their lowest, one might think that ganders in New Zealand had a habit like that of ostriches in the countries they frequent. It can only be with the head Btuck in a mud-hole from fright or confusion of some kind that such a tissue of know-nothingism is composed.

We would especially recommend to the attention of our readers a paragraph in which our Christchurch correspondent deals with toads and tombs, and other matters of a miserable and degenerate kind. They cannot fail to find it interesting.

We have received from Messrs. J. Wilkie and Co., Dunedin, a tale named " Colonists," to which we shall refer at greater length in a future issue.

Thb boycott is advancing. Here is a knot of our most pious ladies, connected with the Tabernacle in]Dunedin,declaring in favour of it as a means of advancing the work of the " Church of Christ.'' They have resolved, themselves to boycott.and to induce every member of their Church to boycott, all grocers who hold bottle licenses. See how even Exeter Hall can take a useful hint from the Popish bogsjof Ireland.— But Irish tenants did but develope in self-defence that which has been in human nature from, the creation of the world,

and will never be expelled from it. With such an one not so much as to eat, says St. Paul.

Mb. John Bbioht, who opposes Home Rule for Ireland, lest among other things it should bring about the disintegration of the Bmpire, is urgently insisting on the great benefits that must ensue from a declaration of independence on the part of these Australasian colonies. From this we may judge of the sincerity or the wißdom of the Unionist party. But the matter is too flagrant to need anything in the way of comment.

Webb, the Judge who increased on appeal the sentence passed on Mr, Alexander Blanc, M.P., misconducted himself in such a manner on the occasion that Mr. Dillon, speaking at Letterkenny a day or two afterwards, declared there had not been such a display of ruffianism on the Irish bench since the days of Norbury. It would seem that Mr. Balfour was in some degree cowed by the popular indig. nation which ensued, for the sentence passed on Mr. Gilhooly, M.P, was immediately reduced from two months to two weeks, and that on Mr. Cox, M.P., from four months to three.

The question of the increase of sentences on appeal ba9 been taken np in the House of Commons, where the Home Secretary has been obliged to acknowledge that he knows of no precedent for it in England. The Solicitor-General for Ireland was run to ground on the same subject by Sir Wm. Harcourt, and could give no satisfactory answer.

The series of meetings intended to show Mr. Balfour what kind of a 'corpse the Land League waa, which he had pronounced dead and buried, were held with good effect on Thursday, April 8. In some instances, as at Bnnis, Kanturk, and Macroom, the meetings passed off without interruption—the police being cleverly evaded, or trium. phantly defied. In others they were attacked, and more or less disturbed, but in every case enough was done to prove beyond all dispute the absurdity and falsehood of Balfour's boasting. The chief combat took place at Loughrea, where Mr. William O'Brien, accompanied by Mr. Henry Wilson, an English Member of Parliament, was present. But even there the League clearly proved itsjvitality, and vindicated its right to be acknowledged in excellent health and spirits. The absurdity, howeTer, is manifest of marching great bo lies of police and soldiers all over the country— as was done on this occasion— to put down the antics of a corpse. It could be approached, even at a distance, only by the experiences of Tarn O'Shanter.

According to the latest reports the Irish people have i,ot accepted the Monaco decree with docility. A meeting of 10,000 people, assembled at Limerick in defiance of the prohibition of t'beir Bishop, Dr. O'Dwyer a pronounced anti-Nationalist, have protested against it. Another meeting has been held for a similar purpose at Kildare, and others are announced to be held elsewhere. It is further reported that the Pope iusists on strict obedience and has communicated with the Archbishop of Dublin to that effect. We give these reports for what they are worth, but do not vouch for their truth or exactness.

The Brave Mr. Balfour appears to have recognised the faiihty of dealing with a living corpse, and expecting that which even the grave could not confine to submit to the voice of law and order. The meetings held on Sunday April 22nd, were unmolested, and Mr. O'Brien spoke at Fermoy, and Mr. Dillon at Kellystown without interruption. Mr. O'Brien, moreover, had such confidence in the living Btrength of the corpse that he declared that, even had his meeting been proclaimed, it would still have been held.

The latest arrest made by the police has been a very notable and important one indeed. It must be acknowledged to have been no mean feather in their cap, when they captured at Queenstown, just landed most mysteriously for a Liverpool packet on its voyage to New York, a Fenian in the guise of a lady. The Fenian, how°ever, turned out after all to be a lady who had been engaged in the rifle company of " Buffalo Bill's " show, and who, having fallen out with her employer, had left with the intention of returning to America but, as is the privilege of ladies, changed her mind on the way, and' quitted the vessel at Queenstown, for the purpose of retracing her steps. If a lady, nevertheless, travels with three rifles in her baggage what may not lawfully be suspected about her ? And to do the police justice, such ladies are not common in Ireland. The last report speaks of the lady is proceeding, in a state of high indignation, about the recovery of her rifles. Perhaps, by this time, the police have found that even the capture of a Fenian might be preferable to that of a Tartar.

The following from " Madge "in Truth, is too good to be lost : " We had a ride yesterday, despite the cold wind, and came back with «OBt outrageous appetite for luncheon. I fear we will begin t© grow

fat here, (Bournemouth) which would be a terrible thing just now, whpn all the fashions are designed for figures like lamp-posts, with no anatomy to speak of."~Must our ladies starve themselves into the fashions, or make preparations fora new gown as jockeys over-weight do for a race 1

The Paris correspondent of Truth in writing of a concert a which he had been present speaks thus. '< Among the amateurs was a Mrs. Wynams, from Chicago. She has such a dear, kindly Irish face, and such bright eyes, the why and the wherefore of which her maiden name (Moran) explains. There is no such singer of a low register as this one ; and yet she has not the slightest vocation for the stage. Ts not this modesty phenomenal in a daughter of Brother Jonathan ?"— But no degree of modesty is phenomenal in a lady with an Irish face and name.

We clip the following significant paragraph from the Roman correspondence of the Nation of April 14:— The Duke of Norfolk left the Eternal City last week and proceeded to Florence, where he offered in the Pope's name his homage and welcome to Queen Victoria oa the occasion of her visit to Italy. It is reported that the Duke will return here in the month of May to continue his negotiations with the Vatican— negotiations, by the way, mhieh have n*t, as certain correspondents asserted, altogether signally failed.