THE NEW "PLANTATIONS."

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 6, 7 November 1890, Page 27

THE NEW "PLANTATIONS."

Mb. Dillon, speaking in Dublin, as reported by the Dublin Freeman of September 13, said : —

Now I desire to draw attention to a singular interview published in the Irish Tines with Mr. Tener, the agent of the Clanncarde estate. Mr. Tener h«i been in the town of Armagh for the purpose of procuring Northern tenants to plant on the evicted farms of the Clanricarde estate Now there are some statements in this interview which are so inconsistent with certain other statements recently made in reference to the condition of the Clanricarde estate that I think they are worthy of public attention. Mr. Tener, in bis anxiety to secure these planters from the North of Ireland, made the following statement in reference to boycotting .—". — " Boycotting," Mr. Tener Btated, alluding to tbe Portnmna portion of the Olaaricarde estate, "is practically at an end in tbe district. The Oatbolic Bisbop, Dr. Healy, has repeatedly denou ced from tbe altar the practice of boycotting, and bis Administrator has also spoken against it, both publicly and privately. Some months ago several pers >ns were sent to gaol for boycotting, bo that the thing has now been conpletely put down, and this being so, those desirous of taking the farm a have not much to fear in that respect." Well, I thought we all read a charge by Mr. JusMce Harrison in the city of Gal way, commenting on the condnion of this very Portumna district, and in which Mr. Justice Harrison declared that so terrific was tbe condition of this very spot that he was astonished that Lynch law was not resorted to by the people in order to put a stop to it (hear, hear). If there was any justification for Justice H&rrisou's statement, then Mr. Tener mnst be telling lies, and if there be a shadow of truth in the statement of Mr. Tener, then Justice Harrison is deprived of the only fibred of palliation for the language he thought fit to use on the bench. Now, in the whole parish of Woodford there were seven tenants who p*id their rents, and of these two had recently come into the Woudford Defence Association, and offered to pay three times their rent inro tbe Plan of Campaign in order that they might be taken back, and they promised never to pay tbeir rent again (applause). Another man who baa paid his rent has gone to America, leaving his farm behind him vacant, and there are only two men in the Woodford district who have placed themselves under Mr, Toiler's wing (applause). Now, even if it were troe that boycotting has stopped in tbe district, then no more judicious method could be invented to resuscitate the practice than to bring down these Northern planters (applause). If those Northern men do come to Woodford, I warn them that, instead of making any money on the farms, they will find that boycotting is quite strong enongh there to make them experience that they never indulged in a more expensive luxury than farming on tbe Clanricarde estate (applause and laughter). For my part 1 bhall continue to recommend to these unhappy people who are fighting the battle of the ttnauts of Ireland on these Campaign emates to stand by boycotting, an 1 to appeal to their comrades to aa^st them to carry it out to the utmost extreme, no m itter what dffiunciation may be levelled against it, and I do so because I believe that the future fate of the people is involved in the power and efficacy of that weapon which is their only defence against persecution (a; plaust). I know from previous experience that if boycotting is put down in Woodtord, tbe ring of tha midnight rifle would be beard in its place, and the only thine; which stands between the resurrection of crime in Woodford and tbe surrounding districts is not police patrols, as Mr. Tener says, nor tbe Coercion Act, but tbe

practioe of boycotting (applause). Though Ido hope those Northern men will not take part in this work, still, for the purpose ot the American mission on which we are entering, I know of nothing that would help as more than that every one of these farms was taken by Northern planters. I know of do cry that would arouse the anger of our American brethren more than this fresh plantation wai being

ttempted ; and if tbe news should oome while I am in America that any large body of Northern men were planted on these farms, it would be worth tens of thousands of pounds to our movement (applause).