Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 18, 17 February 1893, Page 9

Irish News.

Antrim.— Among tha passengers who landed at Queenstown lately from New York were five seamen, part of the crew of the Belfast steamer Oity of Belfast, 1,735 tons, Captain McAlpine, which armed at New York the previous week after a terrific passage from Sourabaya, daring which the coal became exhausted and it became necessary to cat up the spars to keep the fires going. They stated that they shipped on the steamer at Cardiff, and proceeded to Port Baid, Batoum, Hong Kong, Japan, and tbsnce to Sonrabaya, loadiDg sugar there for New York. The voyage occupied eeventy-eigbt days, and five days before approaching the American coaßt the coals ran out, and they were compelled to cot up the topmasts, bowsprit, derricks, boat skids, the bulkheads in the 'tween deckß, and about thirty baskets of aogar, and all the loose timber. By so doing they were enabled to reach New York. They also report that on the 13th of November, while the steamer was alongside South 2ad street wharf at Brooklyn, a seaman named Michael Congayco fell overboard and was drowned. Three others of the crew, two of whom belong to Belfast, went to Liverpool in the Majestic. The steamer belongs to Messrs Boyd Brothers and Co, Belfast. Armagh*— The Land Commission recently sat in Armagh courthouse, when numerous and substantial reductions were made in the tenants' rent. On the property of Montray reductions as follows were made : — James McKeown from L 8 39 to L 5 10s ; Rev B. McAleavy from L 23 16s 4d to Ll7 15s ; John Woods from L 5 14s lOd to L47s 6d ; Michael Duffy from Lll Is 3d to L 7 15? ; Daniel Mcßennet from L 9 Is lOd to L 7 ; Michael Hughes from L 7 to L 4 ss ;

John Kinnear from LI 6s 7d to LI 2s ; 8. Hastings from L 7 5i 6d to L 5 lOd ; C. Mnrpby from L 9 33 to L 7 ; James Kinnear from L 7 15s to L 5 108 ; Bose Brennon from L 9 18s 5J to L 6 17s 6d ; James Vallely from L 6 5s lid to L 5 ; Sarah Agnew from L 5 2a lOd to L 3 17b 6d. The Armagh Board of Guardians, at recent meeting, considered a resolution forwarded by the Mountmellick Board of Guardians, demanding the Government to have substantial reductions made in enraing rentp. The chairman said it was tbe custom of the board to mark all Buch communications "read." Henry Williamson baid it was a very important resolution, and must not be treated ia that way. It was a question of reduction of rent, or starvation, and he beggo J to move that the resolution be adopted. Henry Lamb seconded tbe motion, which was adopted by a large majority. This was probably the firet resolution of a like nature ever p*Bsed at this board. Follow feeling makes us wondrous kind, Cork* — The Cork National Society has been presented with a beautiful billiard table by William O'Brien, M.P. Mr O'Brien is president of the society, and bis political life has been taken by its members as a model for Irishmen to imitate. The song of tbe sooiety is entitled " O'Brien's Brigade." It was composed by a promising young Irishman. On November 24 a crowded meeting of the purchasers under the Aehbourne Act, residing in the barony of Corkasruiny, was held at Dingle fair for the purpose of petitioning the Government not to press for tbe payment of tbe installment now due on the purchase money advanoed for farms, and also to ask for au extension of tbe period of repayment, in consequence of tbe low prices of stock and agricultural produce. Very Bey Oanon O'SulUvan presided.

The anniversary of the judicial murders of Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien was celebrated in Bandon in an imposing manner, add under circumstances in striking ooatrast with thos* attending : similar demonstrations during the Balfonrian regime. There was an entire and significant absence of po'ice, and the people bad nq uneasy fear that they might be pounced upon at aoy moment by tbe order of some ultra-zealous police-officer. A more complete revolution could not be imagined. At 830 o'clock the Bandoo brass band, headed by twenty men bearing lighted torches, left its rooms, followed in processional order by 2,000 peisons, who marched slowly to tbe solemn strains of the Dead March, the route being through the South Main street, Bridge street, North Main street, and thence to Kilbrogan Hill, where stands a handsome Celtic cross to the memory of Allen, who was a native of Bandon. Tbe cross was profusely decorated with evergreens and flowers, which completely bid all but the Bhape from view. Opposite the old Bridewell, where Allen lived in his youthful days, a halt was made while tbe band re-played the Dead March. Tbe procession then resumed its march, and when the chapel was reached a prettily -draped in memoriam card, with the inscription, "In loving memory of Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien," was affixed to tbe cross. C. J. Collins, to whom, with a few others, the success of the demonstration was dne, addressed the people in a few appropriate words, after which all knelt and offered up a fervent prayer for the repose of tbe souls of the three martyred patriots. Derry.— Derry is subject to the influence of the labour wave which is now spread over every quarter of the three kingdoms. A splendid new trades ball has just been opened under most auspicious circumstances, the attendance included representatives of every class and creed in the city. The project has evidently the warm support of the united body of the artisans. It is on a harmonious combination of men of varyiog creeds and politics that the success of the labour cause in Derry must depend.

An extraordinary mci ent of wbich 0. T. McOausland, D.L., and two Limavady poice were the heroes, took place lately on the Duniamma Mountain. Four diefcuised poachers were captured, each armed with loaded double-barrelled guns and amunition. Head Constable Timothy and Sergeant Madill, in plain clothes, but armed with revolvers, were inquiring abont an outraga when they came oo four men shooting. When accosted one of them levelled his gun at thu Sergeant, and only lowered it on the Head Constable covering him with his revolver. A few yards only separated the party. The Sergeant shouted, "Mind, we are policemen." The man raised bis gun again, exclaiming, " I don't care who you are." The Head Constable eaid the man who raised another gna would have bis brains blown out. Mr McCaußland and bis bailiff now coming up as reinforcement, and fortunately armed with doublebarrelled guns, a rush wae made by tbe police for the weapocs. Samuel Wallace resisted and John Harbison levelled bis gun, declaring be would die on the mountain sooner than lose tbe weapon. Eventually tbe men submitted, and walked some miles towards Limavady till they got a wagonette, where the police compelled them to remove the cartridges from the guos. The four men were charged with levelling loaded firearms at the police, and were returned for trial. The affair caused great excitement in the district. Donegal.— William Harkin, of Cresslongh, baa written a letter to Jotau Morley, Ch ef Secretary for Ireland, on the terrible and chronic state of destitution in which some portions of this County are. He describes tbe territory known as Bosses as "the most barren and desolate traot " he ever saw. In Letts rmacaward tbara is a population of 2 315 persons, while the valuation is only £946 Hi. In the area of Templecrone, in whioh 10,719 persocf

Xeside, there is a valuation of £3,479 16s. He classes these two parishes as forming " one of the very poorest and most congested districts in Ireland." As indicative of the work dbne by the Nationalists at the put revision in South Down, the new register of voters, now ready, has shrank in the Tory strongholds of CloughskelL and Bathfriland by 208 and 111 vote* respectively, while in some Nationalist districts, such as Bostrevor and Warrenpoint, there is a slight increase. In tbe other National districts tbe number of voters on tbe new list is only slightly decreased. The new register in South Down contains only 8 728 names as against 9,342, at the last election, being a falling off of 614, of which 400 at least are Unionists, as shown by the heavy loss in the special district?. Dublin.— Mr T. D. Sullivan, M.P., addressed a meeting cf Irishmen and Liberals at Burnby lately, in support of tbe evicted tenants, and referring to the Evicted Tenants' Commission, said the landlords fled from the field because they had a bad case and were ■ore of defeat. The Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the Master of the Bolls, dismissing Sir Thomas Brady's petition of right. They, bowever, did not give costs against bim. Sir Thomas was Commissioner of Irish Fisheries, and on reaching tbe age of 65 tbe Government compelled him to retire. Several of tbe Trinity College students are in trouble and will suffer expulsion. They did not look favourably on a recent appointment, big bonfires were lighed in " Botany Bay," and a large iron pips charged with gunpowder was buried in the ground and exploded. The police of College street station were called in to suppress the insubordination. A great number of book and job printers, after a fortnight's notice to the employers apprising them of their intention to cease

work in the event of a refusal to decrease the hours of labour, are now out of employment. The men state that they are required to work fifty-seven hours per week in Dublin, whereas in all the principal centres in the United Kingdom the men work only fifty- four hours. The employers, on the other hand, say that they are paying as high a rate of wages as in Edinburgh, and upon this simple difference the issues are knit, and the conflict opens. Litest from Dublin says many establishments have grant ei the request of the printers. Gal way*— There ia a prosDect of a fuel famine in Ballinasloe, which is very little wors* than a food famine. The poor of the town will suffer severely for the want of fire this winter, which i 9 setiing in very wet and cold. The greater number of the farmers around the town have their turf on the bog, where it is soaked with the rain and unfit for fire. Kerry* — The police protection huts at Cuira and Knockarthur, in the Castleisland district, were removed a few days ago, and the police in charge traufetred to other counties. Great preparations were made for the past weak to celebrate the anniversary of the Manchester martyrs. A representative meeting of all classes of Nationalists was held to carry it out in a fitting and becoming manner. A processional demonstration was arranged for November 27th with bands and suitable insignia to march to Rath churchyard, where the memorial crops is erected, and it was decided to decorate the graves of fifty of the men of '67 who are bnriei in the neighbourhood, and a ladies' committee was formed for the purpose of doing so. I*eitrlm«— Patrick Lanigao, Gurteennha'le, died recently. His remains were interred in Dromabair Abbej. The funeral cortege was large and representative,

Tenants on estates in North Lei trim are not making an effort to obtain reductions of rents from their landlords, like tenants on all other estates in the country. Lnrganboy fair, recently held, was 11)9 worst experienoed in a great number of years. Practically no business Was transacted. This ia not a bright prospect foe farmers who have to meet heavy rente. mayo*— John Dillon, M.P., drove from Ballaghaderrin to Eilmovee where he had a conference with several of Lord Dillon's tenantry and a large number of clergymen. The tenant's were very anxious to secure Mr Dillon's odriee and couneel in view i>f the prevailing distrpss. The original intention was that he should drive over a portion of the extensive estate and meet bodies of tenants at different station*, and then discuss the situation with them, bnt tha inclemency of the weather considerably interfered with the carrying out of this arrangement Notwithstanding the continued downpour, however, a vast body of tenantry assembled at Kilmovee, and were addressed by Mr Dillon upon the great dit-tresi and tbe best means for coping with it. In the evening Mr Dil'on returned to Ballaghaderrin. The people are temperate but s'eadfast in their demands, and a little co-operation on the part of the landlord would do much to avert the serious dangers which sara the tenants of this impoverished district in the tuce. RoSCOmmon.— There was a Blight improvement in tracing at recent fair in Boyle. Ail kinds of stock were' well reprosunted Two-ind-a-balf-year-olJs L 9 to Lll 10* ; tbree-year-olftfr LU 10* to Lls each. Anything of a prime description in the fat fetobed 65s per cwt ; inferior sorts, 48s to 68s per cwt. Tyrone* — Tbe following have been appointed High Sheriffs for tbe Oorinty for ensuing year :— Colonel W. HutchintonPae

Ashburton House, Putney H>ath, London ; Emerson 0. Her<lm*n, Cairicklea House, Stratnne; Francis Porter Gunning, Not'mg Hill, Belfast. 'Westtneatll —Dr Matthew 0 irrie Halton, a native of Mullio • gar, baa been elected Mayor of prosperous Yorkshire town. The Bamsley Chronicle says of bim : — Mr Halton belong! to the Bister Isle. and will be one of the few English Mayers who hail from the other ride uf St George's Channel. His long residence in our midst may be s»id to have made him a Barnsley man and a Yorkshire man, and that without abating any of the interest which he feels in his native country and it* people. He is a native of Mullingar, thu chief town of the County Westmeath and i9inhis 50th yonr, having been born in '43. He belongs to a family of mupicianp. His father, who was a godson of Haydn Carrie. organist of Marlboro' street Cathedral, Dablin, and was for over half a century organist of the Catholic Cathedral, Mullingar. Toil Hadyn Corrie above referred to was, we may »dd, godson of the distinguished Joseph Haydn the composer. Dr Halton was partly educated at 8t Mary's College, Mullingar, and partly under private tuition in Dublin. He received hie medical training nt L^dwich Schdol of Medicine, Dablin, and in Meath Hospital. Wexford.— Father William O'Neill pastor of Bathmtcts, gave evidence before tha Eviced Tenants' Commission a few days ago. He said he was pariah priest on half of Mr Brooke s property. The other half wai in Father Dunphy's parish. He had a general knowledge of the estate up to 1883 ; be had peculiar facilities for knowing the circumstances connected with the estate, bnt he became more intimately acquainted with the c rcumsta *cea of the case af'er 1883. The property was situated in the extreme north of the C)unty Wexford.and it extended from the ridge of Oroghan Mountain, to the village of Oooljjreany four miles. There were three tyoaliti«a of land on the estate— tbero was moaotain pure and simple, mountain

and, and then the rest was a better quality of agricultural land. The mountain comprised about one-third of the entire estate, and was vsry poor soil ; the lie and the sub-soil were very bad. The agricultural land was fairly good. One hundred and fifty acres of that were in the hands of the evicted tenants. The number of tenants on the whole property was 114, and there were twelve of those Protestants. The good land with the exception of these 150 acres w^s in the hands of Protestants.