Dublin Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 6, 7 November 1890, Page 21

Dublin Notes.

(From tbe National papers.;

Again tbe patriarchal and benevolent Olphert is before tin public aa a great public benefactor. Under the protection of a lirge force of police, his emergencymen have cut and carted away I*l1 t,e oats grown on the farms from which a number of tenants were evicted last June The remarkable feature about this transaction is that the crop was quite green and uoripe ; and what his object was in cutting it is quite a mystery. The peor tenants whose crops have thuß been seized and destroyed had exponded much money and labour in putting them into the soil, and now they have the mortification of seeing their property gone for ever. It ia a shocking thing to see such acts of robbery perpetrated in the name ot British law and under the protection of British bayonets. A curious ceremony, Eomewbat akin to the Venetian custom of wedding the Adriatic, prevails at Cork. Every year tbe Mayor attended by the other membere of tbe Corporation, proceeds down the river and out to the harbour wntrance, and from the deck of a boat or steamship flings a dart into the ocean, to symbolise the sway of the municipality over so much land and water as lies within the radius of their journey. It ia a quaint survival of mediaevaliam, and is generally of a most ptctnresque as well as festival charaoter. La»t month tbe custom was observed with more than usu»l eclat. The Mayor invited a numerous party, embracing people of different pursuit? and different political views, and a vary pleasant time was spent on the trip down the beautiful river and harbour, and afterwards at Sir John Pope Henoessy 's charming place at Rostellan. Then the Mayor entertained the company at dinner on board the steamer, and the inevitable speechifying followed. Various toasts were proposed, and speeches were delivered by Mr. Maurice Healy, M.P. ; Mr. John Deasy, M.P ; Sir John Pope Hennessy, Dr. Leach, of the Orange State,' South' Africa ; General Pratt, Alderman John O'Brien the Chairman of the Cork Harbour board, and others. Another demonstration of the people of Araglen and of the neighbouring parishes has taken place at Billerough, in the vicinity of Mr, Buckley's evicted farm. Seven or eight hundred persons attended, and resolutions were again adopted condemning Mr. Buckley's treatment of his evicted tenants, and censuring the conduct of those who violate! the rules of the National League by working on the derelict farms for the landlord. The work of cuttiog the meadowmg on the derelict holdings, suspended a week ago, has been again commenced, and a gang of disbanded militiamen is engaged in assisting the Emergency employes of the landlord. It appears that up to the preseut Mr. Buckley has expended £60 or £80 in taking down tbe mead'owing ' and only one-eignth of tbe total area under bay has been taken down' and none of the meadowmg has been properly saved, so that the work is not very profitable. On Friday eveniog, September 5, Mr. Smith- Barry, surrounded by armed police and detectives, visited fipperary town. In pas&ing through the deserted streets he occasionally stood up ia his carriage to view the untenanted shops which met his eye in every direction. The party proceeded to the residence of Colonel Caddell B.M. where they remained some time. In the early part of the day Mr! Smith-Barry walked over the derelict lands. He chatted with the' evicted tenants wLerever he met them, and left the impression that he was anxious for eett lenient. Mr. O'Brir-n, M.P., arrived in Killarney on Sunday, September 7, with his wife. Tney wanted to see the lakes and the beautiful scenery, but the Balfounan " shadow " was an adjunct fo every scene that they had visited. Perhaps the police thougat he might preach treason to the echoes. Meauttme the system of persecution has got a new and extensive advertisement. Tbe master tailors of Derry thought they had as good a right to the services of the 8.1.C. during a recent strike of the employes as the lan Lord in face of toe strikes on their estates. And so they had. The police authont.es in Derry could see no difference, nor are we surpriied. So they provided "shadows" for thu officers of thu Tailors' Union. At tbe Trades' tJniun Congress last week atteution was called to this, and a resolution denouncing it was proposed by a delegate, and supported by a Belfast representative, and passed unanimously. The representatives of more than a million of tbe workeis of Great Britain and Ireland therefore, have had it brought home to them in the most unmistakable way tbat the action of the police towards the people in Ireland is different from tbe action of tbe English police, Mr. B^lfour's lie to the contrary notwithstanding. Tnat advertisement ought to have the most satisfactory results. The men of Meebn received a visit from Mr. O'Brien on Saturday, September 6. They have been foremost in the fray, and the visit is a proof that they have not been forgotten, even though they have lought their own fight. Mr. O'Brien told a good story of his experience of the stuff tuat goes to the making of a Meeha man. He had it in Cork gaul. On the last morning on which he was bdng removed lrom Coik gaol, at about 1 o'clock in the morning, he was startled by bearing a call for three cheers for the National League from a neighbouring cell. The cell was occupied by a Meelin man. The cry was ticari from the cells arouud, occupied by Ponsonby and Meelin tenants. Cheers rang for the Leagae. Ha said to himself :—": — " There is a t pit it that all the bayonets and all the prison bars of England will nevar suppress." The Meelin men have proved that, led by their indomitab c priest, who has been subjected to all the indignities in the handbook of Balfourian ruffianism, and who has ended by turning even the abused law against hiu assailants, and proving their violence and outrageousness to tbe world. One of the most successful meetings yet held to forward the movement for the amnesty of Irish political prisoners immured in iinglish prisons, took place at Kilkenny on Sunday, September 7. In point of uumberp, aud ia tbe enthusiasm of tbt assembled people, tbe gathering was all that could be desired by the promoters, aud showed how deep a bold tbe movement tor the better treatment and the release

of political prisoners has taken on the minds of the popular masses in the City of the Confederation. Tbe arrangements for the demonstration were oarried oat by a local committee, the members of which spared no trouble or sacrifice of individual labour in promoting the object in view. Tbe Limerick contingent journeyed by special train, which left the terminus about a quarter after nine o'clock. The party numbered aboat four hundred. At Tipper&ry further additions were made to the excursionist party . At Cloomel and other stations large contingents were taken up. At Waterford a big crowd was in waiting, and the excursion train to Kilkenny was bo fully freighted that tvio te iders had to be affiied in order to accomplish the remainder of tbe journey in anytbing like theappoined time. The members of the Daly Amnesty Committee travelled from Limerick, and were accompanied by Mr. J. Torley, County Councillor of Glasgow. The chair was taken at the meeting by Alderman Fenton, Ma. or of Limerick. Mr. Michael Divitt's new weekly, the Lubour World, came out on the 20th September. The title page has a very attractive appearance, tbe chief feature being a triple emblematical design, by W. T. Parke s. The central figure is jußtice with eyes blindfolded, standing on a scroll labelled, " The Land for the People." On one side of her stands a town artisan, banner in band, treading on a serpent, on whose f o.l da are inscribed, " Social Injustice and Kobbery of Labour." On the other side is an agricultural labourer sharpening his scythe. His foot is on another Bnake, the writhing coils of which bear the inscription, " Landlordism and Pauperism."