Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 39, 28 January 1898, Page 9

Irish News.

BELFAST.— The Railway Servants.— The long-drawn difficulty of the Irish railway servants seems to be as far as ever frou a settlement. A Mass meeting of the Belfast Branch of the Amalgamated Society of R.iilway Servants was held recently in the Engineer's Hall, to receive the report of the deputation sent to Dublin to wait upon the directors of the Great Northern Railway Company with a view to induce that company to adopt the Irish national programme drawn up by the society. Previous to the arrival of the train conveying the deputation home, ffor\ r signals were placed upon the line, and. as the train entered the station, the deputation got a royal salute. At the station they were received by over 400 of the servants of the company. The Great Northern directors agreed to discuss the programme with the deputation, but declined to allow any of the officials of the society to be present, and the deputation withdrew without holding any discussion. At the meeting the following resolution was unanimously passed :—": — " That we, in mass meeting assembled, do hereby tender our warme-t thanks to our delegates on the Great Northern Railway for their action in refusing to discuss the Irish national programme with the directors unlesß they concede to us free representation through the officers of our society."

CORK. — The Distress. — Oar latest Irish exchanges are very melancholy reading, owing to the pinch of the prevailing distress. It has already begun to make itself acutely felt in West Cork. A large and lepresentative meeting of the inhabitants of Ballydehob and the surrounding districts, presided over by the Rev. Father Murphy, was held in Ballydehob in connection with the outlook for the winter, and for the purpose of considering the best means to be adopted for tiding over the acute distress with which the people of that place are at present face to face. The potato crop in West Cork, particularly in the seaport districts, is stated this year to be almost a total failure. Resolutions were adopted calling on the Government for assistance, and in furtherance of the execution of some much-needed works in the district.

Further south, in beautiful Glengariff — " the rugged glen "—" — the outlook for the winter is quite as discouraging. A very large open-air demonstration was held at Glengariff on Sunday after Mass for the purpose of directing the attention of the Government and the public to the distress which is being already felt there, and which will be intensified in a very large degree as the winter advance*. The Rev. Father Quill, P.P. of the district, was moved to the chair. The Rev. chairman having addressed the meeting, resolutions in globo bearing on this urgent subject were adopted.

DUBLIN. — The Manchester Martyrs. — The imposing demonstration made by the Nationalists of Dublin in the streets of t ie city on Sunday, November 28, showed that the spirit which animated Allen, Larkin, and O Brien. when they gave their lives for Ireland is as intense at the present moment as it was 30 years since. An interesting item in the celebration was the decorating ot the grave of Patrick Kearney, one of the rescuers of James Stephens, by William Brophy, an old '(>.V(i7 man. No fewer than 1G bands took ] art in the proceedings, and the following '1)8 clubs were represented :— Wexfordmen's '1)8 Club, the Old Guard '1)8 Club, the Wolfe 'Jone '98 Club, the William Orr 'IK Club, the Emerald '98 Club, the lnchicore '1)8 Club, and the Irish Social Republican '1)8 Club.

The Irish University Question. — His Gra c Archbishop Walsh gives wise and seasonable advice in a letter read the other day at a meeting in Dublin before which Mr. Charles Dawscn delivered an adrniiable lecture on the subject, "Irish Catholics and Univtrsity Education." Catholics, the Archbishop urges, must concentrate their energies on forcing the question upon the attention of the Government and pressing with vigour for a speedy settlement of it. This policy is all the more necessary b( cause the matter is one upon which the Government have, it is said, been wavering. Whilst in some quarters they have been credited with the intention ot bringing in a comprehensive Bill dealing with the problem, we have read in certain organs of the Press, who are supposed to be well informed, that they purpose shelving the project. We cannot believe this report, lor though there is an Orange outcry jigainst bringing forward a scheme, the best educationists on both sides of the House, including men such as Mr. Morl.-y and Mr. Leckj', are in favour of it. Even Mr. T. W. Russell, who, as a rule, is a strong opponent of Catholic claims, has admitted that justice demands a measure placing Irish Catholics on a footing with Irish Protestants in respect to University education. But. like other corporate bod es Governments hive no consciences, and the Cabinet will, it is to be feared, forget all their promises unless Catholics give them goi d reason to remember them.

GALWAY.— The Distress.— Tn e troubles arising from the two successive failures ot the Irish harvest, are being felt with unusual sharpness throughout the county of Galway. Our New Zealand readers will be interested to learn that active efforts are being made to arous-e the Government to a sense of the magnitude of the disaster with which the people are being threatened. A public meeting was held at the Court Hou^e, Clonbur, to consider the state of the district (,the eastern division of the barony of Ross) and to p. isp resolutions in view of the impending distress. On the motion of Mr. John Ilegarty. M D., J.P., the chair was taken by the Rev. Martin Millett, PP. The first resolution was proposed by Mr. Patrick Kyne, seconded by Mr. Ed. Jennings (both of Clonbur), and carried unanimously :: — '• Thar, in view of the undoubtedly impending grave distress in some of the more mountainous parts ot this extensive district, some 17 miles long by one to three broad, with a population of over 3000, and probably the most congested district in all Conneniara — distress due to the failure of the potato crop and the ravages caueed by swine fever, some of the population being already on the verge of starvation — this meeting respectfully would repre-

sent to the Chief Secretary and Government the absolute necessity of giving speedy relief." The second resolution ran as f ollows :—": — " That in the opini n of this meeting:, any relief gi\en should be in the form of public works and the employment of l.ibour, such as the construction of piers (for Clonbur ami Connemara on Longh Corrib, and for Finney aid Kilbride on Lough Mask) and the repair of a few mountain roads ; works uiu h needed and that would pr»ve of P' rmanent ai-d inestimable benefit to the entire district." The third resolution was couched in the following terms :—": — " That the Government be earnestly n quested to supply gratuitously good si ed potatoes in small quantities and under proper local supervision early in the coming spring, as very tew arc left or can be spared for seed, and those that are kept for that purpose are virtually worthless." These resolutions were sent, to the C let Secretary for Ireland, the Congested Districts Board. Win. O'Malley, E^q , M.P. for ihe Connemara Division, and the principal Dublin and County Galway papers." Another representative meeting was held at Rossclonbur, presided over by Father Millett, P.P. In the Wood ford district matters are rapidly npproaching a crisis of great gravity. Mr. Roche, M .P., plainly states that many people there are in a state bordering on starvation. " Hot indignation," says the Dublin Fn-evian, "is smouldering in so many districts in Ireland at the utter callousness with which the misfortunes and miseries of Ireland are regarded by the Government, anxious only that the rent collecting operations should not be interfered with by any ernbamwng questions of distress. There can be no doubt, as was made plain by Mr. Roche, that Irish indignation at the Government's inaction is increased by the revelations of the Financial R> Luionß Commission that, at least, two and three quarter millions over taxation are plundered annually froai this povertystricken, famine-afflicted country by the rich and generous partner, who grudges oven from Ireland's own fund the slightest modicum of relief." Settlement with an Evicted Tenant.— After Mass on a Sunday at the close of last November, at Clonfad, four miles from Ballinasloe, the Rev. Father Begley announced that a settlement bad been come to by arbitration between Thomas Kenny, evicted tenant, of Clonfad, and Dan Kenny, of the same place, who took the former's farm nine years ago. The money compensation, £45, was in the hands of James Kenny, who, with Pat Glynn, arbitrated for Thomas Kenny, the evicted tenant : Peter Kenny and Pat Carty arbitrated for Dan Kenny. They were all neighbours, and not biased one way or another, lie (Father Begley) was in favour of the reinstatement of the evicted tenant, who, however, himself preferred the money. The momy would be paid over that day, and that would settle the matter for ever. Though Father Begley took no crodit to himself for this settlement, it was well-known that he was n>ainly instrumental in bringing it about. KING'S COUNTY.-A Land Agent dies in Prison.— The unexpteied ileath in prison of Jamea S-veeney, a well-known land ngent. cau-ed some surprise in Birr, where he was for years regarded as one of the nio.^t influential and cleverest land agt nts. He managed, amongst other properties, the Mount Fresco property, fie prajtically ruled that side of the country, and wasln the zenith of his power, when he killed a man at Templempre and was tried for murder. Ttie jury brought in a manslaughter verdict, and he was sentenced to tea years' penal servitude. Released after seven years he returned to the scenes of his early life in the beginning of the present yeiir, and, on being convicted of attempting to force Mrs. Lloyd to sign a document, was sent to complete his penal servitude term. LlMEßlCK.— lmportation of German Potatoes.— We have often heard of bringing coals to Newcastle, but we had to wait till now to bear of the bringing of potatoes to Ireland for the purpose of food. Yet it is a fact that a steamer arrived at Limerick recently with 2.000 bags of potatoes from Hamburg. And. what is more, the importers — the Limerick Steamship Company — are selling them at lower prices than those charged for the home-grown article. The partial failure of the Irish crop this year may give a s'p cial opportunity for the suece-s of such an enterprise at the present tune, but for all that the incident brings home to us the danger that even in the production of the staple food of the oountry the foreigners must in the future be seriously reckoned with. We trust that, in fixing the future rents, the Land Commission will consider that the v.tlne in product of Irish land is now threatened with German competition. The Seventh Centenary of the City.— The proposals for the celebration of ihe 700 th anniversary ol i he incorporation of Limerick as a city have not aw akened much eMhusi.i?rn m the City of the Violated Treaty. A recent meeting to consider wh.'t form the celebration should lake was poorly attended, ai d an adjournment of the procei dings was inevitable. Limerick people take a fair share of pride in the circumstances th;it the charter of their city dates back sevtn hundnd years, and hence their desire to honour the anniversary with some suitaMf ceremony. It was thought desirable to make the function a colouile^-s one in order to win the support of the Unionist section, but they stood aloof from the gathering entirely. Under the ciieumstanco 5 ; (siys the Fn nitnn'x Journal') it might he suggested that the best lor.v of celebration they could now take should have reference to the progre-s the city has made since it threw off the Unionist yoke, and since its fortunes have been given into the popular charge. Decline of the Shannon Oyster Fisheries.— The fishery industry on the Lower Shannon is panning out very badly for the fishermen this year. The oyster season is, up to the present, a very poor one, and many fishermen are abandoning dredging altogether. In many cases the crews were not earning enough to live on. At this time last year oysters were fairly plentiful, and a good price ruling. The law is very stringent as to removing oysters under a

oertain size, but there is great difficulty in enforcing it, and to this fact may be attributed the failure of the fishing this year.

Bishop O'Dwyer on Nationalisation of the Land.— The Most Rev. Dr, O'Dwyer presided at a lecture on '• The Life and Times of Henry George," by Rev. Dr. O'Riordan, D.D., in the Catholio Literary Institute, Limerick, on Friday last. In putting a vote of thanks, his Lordship said : Henry George had a character Of transparent honesty, and thorough sympathy with his fellowworker throughout the world. Such a man must touch a chord in all their hearts. At the same time, as Dr. O'Riordan had pointed out, his theories were utterly revolutionary and utterly subversive of the very foundations on which society restß. Individual ownership of property, of the parts of the world that men acquire legitimately for themselves, is the foundation on which civilised society rests. Mr. George came to Ireland and fascinated people at a time of great excitement. It was only by the destructive part of his theory he did it, and not by the constructive. People here were engaged at the time in a struggle against what they called landlordism, and were ready to accept the co-operation of anyone who helped to pull that down, but no one in the country would ever dream of accepting the constructive part of Mr. George's theory that would substitute the State as universal landlord in place of individual landlords.

MAYO. — Distress in Swinford. — The following resolution appealing for urgent help for the small tenant farmers appears in the latest of our Irish exchanges :—": — " That we, the magistrates and assembled cesspayers of the barony of Gallen, wish to direct the particular attention of the Right Hon. Gerald Balfour, M.P., Chief Secretary for Ireland, to the urgent and immediate need of public works to ward of the distress which threatens this barony owing to the failure of the potato crop and the general all round depression. Unless relief is immediate there is the greatest danger that no seed will be available for the sowing season next spring, as pressing ■wants will compel the poor people to dispose of the little they possess. We avail ourselves of the present opportunity of respectfully suggesting that the Government alone can adequately meet the impending distress."

The Castlebar Board of Guardians are making vigorous efforts to induce the Government to take proper steps for the immediate relief of the distress in their Union. Mr. Davitt, who is associated

with them, places little reliance on the good intentions of the Government. From what we can judge of its action, or rather inaction, his distrust is not a matter of surprise.

WATERFORD.— Sunday Closing.— One of the pleasantest and most hopeful features of later Irish life is the steady strides that the cause of temperance is making among the people. Official returns show that for several years past the Irish drink bill is less per head of the population than that of either Scotland or England. Speaking at Waterford on the subject of temperance, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore said : "Just now we are. I believe, on the opening of a new campaign on the subject of Saturday evening and Sunday closing. Now, I wish to be very frank and very dispassionate in my view with regard to this matter. From the day, I belie\e. when this Saturday evening and Sunday closing movement was Btarted, I for one became its supporter. I have remained its supporter ever since. I have never regretted for one moment anything that came in my way to say or do in favour of the Saturday evening and Sunday closing movement, and I believe to-day — as far as that part of the country is concerned, both in Waterford and in the rural districts — the Sunday Closing Act has been an unmixed blessing. I should like, however, to see Saturday evening closinir carried in connection with it, for I believe that Sunday closing will never be able to do the amount of good which its promoters de^iie unless public-houses are closed earlier on Saturday evening, for it is impossible when a man can get drink to excess up to a late hour on Baturday evening — it is impossible, with such a state of thing existing — that Sunday closing could be canied out with the efficiency and with the success which it deserves." The Bishop then mentioned the fact that thero were 200 licensed houses in Waterford in proportion to a population of 20.000. and condemned those who were responsible for multiplying public houses in the city. This increase was only a source of temptation, particularly to the working classes. His Lordship also complimented the Corporation for erecting houses for the working classes, which would meet a lont>felt want, but said some methods should be devised tor the puipose of housing the poorest of the poor, and while the Corporation could hardly provide for this t lass, he thought the question might be de ilt with by charity. Those having abundance of means misjfht come forward to aid iv the solution of this pressing difficulty lfis Lordship then dwelt on the advantages of such an fissojutiun as the one he was addressing, aud the benefits it conferred ou the coiimumity.

WEXFORD.— The '98 Centenary.— Active steps are being taken to celebrate in a fitting manner the great struggle in which the men of " gallant Wexford "' took so notable a part. The Ninetyeight Association is forming branches throughout the county. Meetings have been held in New Ross and elsewhere, one of the most enthusiastic of them having taken place in the Wexford Town Hall at the close of November. We learn from the Wexford Press that all sections of the National community joined in making the meeting a great suoce.-s. Fully a thousand people were present, but the hall wa9 so crowded that many could not get admission. St. Brigid's Fife and Drum Band attended, and played a selection of National airs. The chair was o .oupied by Alderman Hugh McGuire, who pointed out that it was necessary for the people of Wexford to take some steps to provide accommodation for the 50,000 Irish Americans who it was expected would visit Wexford next year to view her historic battlefields. It was decided to form an association the object of which should be : (1) To honour the heroes of '98; (2) to make suitable arrangements for the reception of the exiled Gaels who will revi-.t In land in '1)3 to commemorate the centenary ; to take every means of providing for the comfort and convenience of the visitors ; (3) to urge, the erection of a memorial in the town of Wexford ; to collect the relics of '98 and to preserve the existing monuments which up to this have been utterly neglected. It was unauiinously decided that " The association will not further or promote the interet-ts of any present political party, and shall endeavour to create and foster the harmonious and brotherly feeling which should exist amongst Wexfordmen, and which is so necessary for the welfare of our borough." It was decided that Father Kavanagh, 0.5. F., Cork, the author of the Histry of '9B, should be requested to give a lecture in Wexford on the Insurrection. Mr. McGuire said that they had been very slow in Wexford whilst the movement for commemorating '98 had spread amongst the Irish race all over the world like wild-fire, and it was a strange and unaccountable thing that Wexford, which was the centre of the glorious insurrection, should be the last place to be infused with the enthusiasm which was stirring up their countrymen all the world. A Voice :We are slow but sure. It was the same in 1( JB, but we got there all the same (laughter and prolonged applause). Several hundred members were then enrolled and paid Is for their membership cards. The meeting then terminated.

WESTMEATH.-A New "Father Mathew Hall."The centenary celebrations of the great Irish Apostle of Temperance have been the occasion of adorning the town of Athlone with a lasting" memorial ot one ot the ino^t remarkable men of our century. A very f>en< rons jjfitt bus been made to ilie town by Mr. William Smith, .T.P., Mont Itee. oin- cf the proprie ori of the Shannon Woollen Mills Company. Limit<d. The hall, which is erected of cut, sto ic. is a wry handsome structuie. and a credit alike to the town and the donor. Jr, was opened for the first time on Friday evt ning. and the o> cation was marj<ed by great enthusiasm. It is under the. joint mm gement ot the Prot blunt and Catholic communities, the Catholics having three-fourths of the representation, in proportion to the ) opul.uiun ol the town. GENERAL. The Irish Language. — A u-ciul and inten sting phase in the growth of national feeling in Ireland is the movement for the pu'st-rvation of the Irish langu.ig< . Such a nio\emcnt lias been iv existence tor a long period, and n-etul manuals were, published under their auspices by the eminent firm of M. 11. Gill and Son. Ot I'ite years new life anil \ii;our have been thrown into A he. movement. The old Society fur the Preservation of the liish Language has develop d into the. Gaelic League, which has established its branches all over lieland, and extendel its opeiations into England and Scotland. Nothing can be a more decided indication of the advanLC winch the study of Gaelic has made dining tho last tew yen's than the intention ot Mr. Bernard Doyle, who makes a speciality of Gaelic printing, to publi-h weekly in the Irish language an eight-pagj paper ot twenty-lour columns, which will be sold at ore penny. O.ily a tew y ars aj^ r o to undertake the publication of suoh a piper would have boon c >nsidend equivalent to courting tailure, yet at present it is anticipated that Diimie an Lav (the JJaicn of J)cij), as it will be named, will prove a success. The first number was to appear on New Year's Day. Dunne an Lac will bo a genuine newspaper, though non- political and non-sectarian, and it is not expected that it will interfere with the Uaittc Journal in any way. Tile English in the paper will be confined to recording cunent evt nth in the progress of the, mnveinent. Over fifty years ago Thomas Davis justly said that "the establishment of a newspaper partly or wholly iv Irish would be the most rapid and sure way of setving the language 1 ." and we trust to see this (statement verified.

Irish Priests for Trinidad. — Fathers Coveney (of Gal way), j Sutherland (of Newry), ard Walsh (of Cork) Dominicans ; and Father Corcoran (of Gal way), secular, left Southampton recently by the steamship Medway for Trinidad. The Trinidad mission will in future be supplied exclusively from the Irish Dominican Province, the Very Rev. Father Hickey, Provincial, having 1 been appointed Visitor by the Master-General, to whom the missionary Fathers are subject. There will be eight Irish priests there when these Fathers arrive. The Irish Police. — The constabulary force in Ireland is being rapidly reduced. Six hundred men have been already paid off, and recruiting has been stopped. Ther > are 2-">0 district inspectors. The number will be reduced to So. When the retirement of Sir Owen Slacke, under the sixty -filth rule, was announced, it was stated his position would not be filled up. In a few more years two more divisional commissioners will retire, and their positions will not be filled up. These changes will be accompanied by a large reduction in iho rank and file, and the Treasury calculate to sa\e by that means about half a million yearly ; but it is only the beginning ot the end of overtaxation in Ireland. i Decrease of Emigration. — The following brief statistics j will be of interest to i.ur Irish readeis in so far as they indicate a falling off in the tide of emigration wnich h is suudih none iorih from the Old Land ever since the gro.it agony of " Black Fortyseven.'' The return shows that there has been a liir^c falling oil' in emigration during the ten months ended October 31. as compared wth the corresponding penod of Li>t j'far The passengers who lAt the Unite 1 Kingdom tor places out of Kiirupo uj) to the eid of List Octo'in r nuuibeied HU.113, as aga'nst 21 i), 107 in the corresponding ten months of hi-t 3 ear. The English numbered HJi.TT.'i, the Scotch 1 I 3^'.t, and tie hish 33.720, the remainder bomg foreigners or persons whose nationality had not been distinguished. Of 1 lie total, no fewer than 1L'0.073 sailed for the United States. 21 1.~l for Biitis'u North America, lo I.Hi for Australasia. 21. '.'12 for South Aiiica, the re inaiudt r g'-ing" to othei v place-. Last month 23.7.~>l persons emigrated, as against 2."j..")5(l in October. IMKi. The i;::gh-h numbered 11.12?, the Scotch 1,721). and the Irish 3 2G.J. the lemamder being foreigners or persons whose nationality had not been distinguished. The Land Acts Commission-— The commissioners appointed to administer the l,an 1 Acts hue lony since, by their actions, forfeited the conrdenee of the lll1 111 1 -li people. The Dublin Fr< email's Journal has the following m point. — •■ iM r. A. J. Kettle 8 emphatic protest ag.iinst the exclusion by the President of the Lanel Acts Commission, ot the e\ idenco prepared by tin; Tenant Farmer's Organisation, is thoroughly justified. But. perhaps, it was just as well. The Commission is now thoroughly (ii-counted. There will be no land legislation of tin- kind desired by the Landlord Executive next session, according to Mr Baltour. Nor in the session after, no matter what Sir Edwaul Fiy r ports, if the tenant farmers of Ireland know how to elefend their own interests." The Distress.— America to the Rescue.— While the Government is calmly watching the rapid progress of the West of Ireland peasantry towards the verge ot famine, our American brothers have been once auain organising to kce'p the woll lrom the Irish cabin eloor. The work has been started by the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Austin. Texa^, who have sent the following letter to the Dublin !'n . mini — •• Gentlemen, — Moved by the reported sad condition ot the people in certain portions of Ireland, the local members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and then friend* in the city have raised a sum which enables us, their committee, to hand ■v ou herewith a draft on the Piovincial Bank of Irelanel for £10 sti rlmg. The knowledge posseted by every man familiar with the s:.bjeet of the unswerving loyalty of ihc Fin wan* Journal to the eaus- s and interests of our people loaves no room for hesitancy in laying upon your shoulders a fresh task m their behalf. Therefore, we urgently request that you distribute this money according to the d ictates of your own best judgmentj udgment and (shoulel the same be not already done) that you open with the next issue a fund for American contri-

butions towards the relief of the famine sufferers in Ireland. No man has a larger, more generous heart than the American. Many a dollar has he sent to Ireland for political purposes, and for that matter, in hours of fi.mine, too. And he will do it again, for were the Irish people, robbed as they are of the surplus that would enable them to take care of themselves when crops might fail them, allowed to die of starvation, how empty indeed would be the prayer — ' God save Ireland !' " Committee : Joseph A. O'Ueilly, James L. M'Carty, James Byrne, and John J. Butler.