THE IRISH NATIONAL FUND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 17, 3 September 1897, Page 15

THE IRISH NATIONAL FUND.

HANDSOME CONTRIBUTION FROM THE WELLINGTON BRANCH OF THE I.N.F.

A NEW ZEALAND APPEAL FOR UNITY.

IN the Dublin Freeman of June 21st the treasurers of the Irish Rational Fund acknowledge the receipt of the sum of £100 from the Irishmen of Wellington, New Zealand, per Martin Kennedy, president ; Edmund Carrigan, vice-president ; P. M. Twomev viceESSV^Sfi.'Sf' toaßureri p - J - Kell6h «' h - : ■«! <^£s^at™ puMUhed aisothe Irish National Federation, Wellington Branch, N.Z.. «Tv, A-* ««. t. Wellington, May 13, 1897. Wp in m y r i° i he F> : e A emans Journal. Sir,-We Irishmen here in New Zealand would crave your indulgence once again by inserting m your paper a short appeal from us to our brethren in old Ireland respecting the still existing cleavage in the Irish Parliamentary r arty. It makes us here blush for shame when we are confronted* with wlitT \l fe th % are o at {t a g a i n ."-the Dillonites, the Healyites, the Redmondites. Still we do hope for a better state of affairs, though there seems to be an indication of a wish for a reunion all round which certainly ought to take place in the interests of the cause that all Irishmen profess to labour for because as long as there is a want of unity it is most disheartening to all supporters and sympathisers at home and abroad, and serves as a strong excuse for not subscribing the sinews of war to the Irish cause. We do therefore heartily wish that this senseless and ruinous spirit of disunion which has unfortunately prevailed for the past five or six years will die the death it deserves, as all sympathisers with the cause of Ireland— especially we abroad— are sick and tired of these unseemly, petty and unwarrantable party squabbles— all for nothing, only miserable party jealousy. When will Irishmen learn a lesson from the history of the # What brought old Erin under the oppressive heel of the invader ? Was it not this petty jealousy and dissension amon-st the Irish themselves I And so it is to-day serving the same fell purpose for the enemies of Ireland. 8 We, therefore, say to our brethren at Home— the Irish constituents—you have the remedy in your own hands, as far as your Parliamentary representatives are concerned. If they do not mend their ways they have to come before you again as candidates Reject them if they do not give a pledge to support the decisions of the majority, no matter who is leader or chairman. There must be discipline, otherwise every clever, ambitious, and perhaps desi-nin-'-man will from time to time claim to be the great one who ou^ht to take the reins and lead. Therein lies the trouble, and that has apparently to a great extent been the case with the Irish Party It has gone on far enough and long enough, and failing dissentient members themselves of their own accord comino- to a «ense of their duty it is high time their poor country and constituents would be called upon to have borne wy in the matter, and dictate a little to the candidates, in place of the candidate* dictating to the people. But we repeat that we arc hopeful that unity and reconciliation all round will take place ere the constituents again will have to arbitrate. -Wo remain, yours truly, JVI. Kennedy, president; Edmond Carrigan, vice-president; P. M. Twomey, vice-president' Michael Bohan, treasurer ; P. J. Kelleher, hon. secretary. Irish National Federation, Wellington Branch, N.Z., T , ..... _, , . Wellington, May 13. 1897. John Dillon Esq., chairman Irish Parliamentary Party Dear Sir,— Enclosed find draft for £100 (one hundred pounds) instalment subscribed by the Irishmen and friends of the cause oi Home Rule in the city of Wellington, thereby giving effect to the mandate or the Convention held last September, and carrying out the pledge given by our delegate, Mr. Martin Kennedy at that Convention. J ' We do hope that the nest time we have the pleasure of forwarding money to the Irish Fund it will be to a united Irish 1 arty. We do not and cannot blame the majority of the Irish Party or the majority of the constituents. They are standing faithfully and nobly to their guns. Their position is not a pleasant one. Not enough to combat the enemies of Home Rule, but Irishmen themselves—at least some of them— are, in our opinion, doing more to thwart and delay autonomy for old Ireland than the most bitter opponents of the cause. Who will deny that as long as the Irish people keep up a factious feeling and party squabbling amongst themselves but that the English Government will have an excuse for not granting self-government to Ireland I

™JL / Wl £k that any moneys we subscribe should be appropriated only on behalf of unity and that the majority should rule, we regard you and your party as representing unity. ,•„ * ? nc £? Bed ls a lis * of subscribers, which we would wish published m 3« Journal—We remain, dear sir, yours truly,— SX> r ned7llPr^ ldent; Michael Bohan » Treasurer; P J. Kelleher, hon sec. ; Edmond Carrigan, vice-president. P.S.— The SmT 1 elll^ t( ? n wißh t0 be kindl y remembered to the Hon. E. B&ke and Mr. Davitt. We have not forgotten them. „„ Subs f cr ibers -Mar fcin Kennedy Esq., £50 ; " A friend who yearns for Unity" £5 ; George Fisher, M.H.R., £2 2s ; nL £ fT a8 T, ° alu^ MJ) -' £2 2s ; E - J- Waish £2 23 5n5 n fh rD T y 'J3^ M ls ;M - Brid^> £1 Is J Dr. P. Mackin, M.D xiibj Frank M'Parland, J.P., £1 iB.i 8 . j. j/ D evine, £1 Is pni y o r ,' tt 18l1 BlB ls '\ James Dea ly, £1 Is; S. Dealy, £1 ; Ji^i J- Beauchamp £1 ; B. Carrigan, JJ\. £1 ; M. Bohan £ ■ M hJiXTS' *ir-ii W> M ° Goldriok > ; Matthew Mackey ONnl«;? in *ii Mr lllam Heal y, 10s ;D. Sullivan, 10s ;D. 6. ?n I 1OS; D in W alsh, 108 ; M. J- Dennehy, 10s; T. Costello, Iff ' M SUS U1 f Da ul 103 i 10s ;F. McGrath, 6s ;5s eachMiss M. Ready, Steve Buckley, D. Burke, J. Cagney, Mrs. Walker, J. Etn' S - C « umh an James O'Connell, J. McEuerney. P. Moore, T. Murray E. Byrne ; 4s each-T. O'Connor, J. Reilly, P. Twomey J. 5 O' y n 11 -T h ' B -^rney W. Fitzgeraldi p Nolan \ 3seach _ M ' ißß Mnr JSft w'n MIBS vu D owd, M. McMahon, T. O'Hagan, P. r f fW/?^ 1 MHM H J bernian "M - GaJli ™ 2s 6d each-P. §2' ;■ i? Iei er ',T' Mullian e ;2s each-E. Hoben, K. O'Leary ; Federation Fund, £12 ls (id; total, £100. -P. J Kelleher

The following gentlemen also subscribed but their contributions not having been received at the date of forwarding the draft their names do not appear in the Freeman's list :— Messrs. P. S. G-arvey, George Winder, D. Flynn, C. O'Leary, £1 Is each ; R. J BuIS Daniel Flynn, J. Fitzgerald, D. Reilly, 10s each ; J. McAteir, ss. Keiemng m another column to the appeal from the Irish follovWn •— Wellin & ton for un % Ireland, the Freeman has the

t• t, xx T ere - ls Isomefc1 somefcn inf? almost pathetic in the appeal which the Irish Nationalists of Wellington. New Zealand, make through our columns to the Nationalists at Home to close up their ranks and fight unitedly the good battle for Ireland as in the old days. It is no wonder that these men, the world's width apart from the land of their devotion, feel bitterly the taunt that Irish dissension is now the great stumbling block to Ireland's liberty. It is not mere empty words of advice the Nationalists of New Zealand have to otter Ihey are not of those who imagine that in this sharp crisis of the country s cause a patriot's sole duty is to button up his pockets m economical disgust. They are earnest for unity, and they KJ™")™ B *™*"^ proof of their sincerity in the munificent subscripot £100 to the National Fund, which now touches the verge of five thousand. Surely the appeal so made cannot fail of its effect on Irishmen in whose hearts patriotism is not stifled by faction