GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 18, 3 May 1900, Page 8

GENERAL.

Statistics of Interest to Anti-Catholic Lecturers.— ln comparing the statistics of births, deaths, and marriages, as compiled by the Registrar-General for Ireland, the Freeman's Journal says : • The statistics of births are mainly interesting as showing a steady preponderance of male over female births, and indicating that in the matter of morality as judged by the number of illegitimate births, benighted Connaught stands at the top of .the list and enlightened Ulster at the bottom. The figures are as follows :— ■ Comparing the provinces, we find that the percentage of children born in Ulster, who are illegitimate, was 37 ; in Leinster, 26 ; in Munßter 2*4 ; and in Connaught, 06.' Sir Charles Gavan Duffy and the Parliamentary Party-— Sir Charles Gavan Duffy has addressed., an important letter to Mr. Barry O'Brien on the Irish political situation. After congratulating the Nationalists on the reunion of the party, he proceeds to urge that nothing permanent is accomplished unless political reconciliation be followed by sooial reconciliation. • With* reference to Mr. Redmond's suggested measure of returning to the old policy of combat in the House of Commons, Sir Gavan Duffy says that Parnell'a policy of obstruction is now impossible, and a new one was urgently needed, for a solid and well-weighed policy is a necessary security of progress. An essential inquiry, which can be effectually made by the re-united leaders, is whether the existing corps are the fittest men for the purpose. Have any of them been habitually negligent of their duty ? Have any of them by personal misconduct lowered the character of the Irish party ? If so, in the name of Ireland they ought to be pitilessly excluded from the new Parliament. Railway Amalgamation- —It is a remarkable fact that while the South of Ireland is almost wholly against the Great Southern and Western Railway Amalgamation Scheme, most of the Midlands and the West is as wholly in its favor. . The Ballinrobe District Council warmly esponsed the scheme, on whose behalf Mr. Peter Regan, the popular representative, has interested himself. A Successful Student. — An Irish exchange states that Miss Clare Nora O' Sullivan, who has been for the past four years studying in Leipeic, has obtained a B.A. degree at the London University at the age of 20 years, and out of a roll of 500 applicants is now appointed teacher of languages and music at the Loretto Convent, Letterkenny. The young lady is siafcer.of Dr. O1O 1 Sullivan, of Killarney, and the Rev. Charles O'Sullivan, of the mission at Manchester, England, at present.- Her father is a well-known and highly-successful National school teacher in Munster. Objecting to Pay Tolls-— A.* a recent meeting of the Irish Cattle Traders' and Stockownera' Association, Mr. William Field, M.P., in the chair, the following resolution was carried unanimously :— ' That, in the opinion of this Association, it is most objectionable for buyers to be obliged to pay toll for cattle, sheep, or pigs, or horses exhibited for sale on the streets or towns ; that fair greens should in every case be provided ; that arrangements such as carried out at Carlow, Kilkenny, and Limerick fair greens-" viz., that tolls of small amounts be levied from the seller or exhibitor in all circumstances — should be the practice at all other fairs ; and that copies of this resolution be sent to the County Councils, Urban District Councils, and Rural District Councils asking their co-operation mr establishing this mttflfr-iieeded reform- in the interests of the Irish live stock trade.' Mr. Austen Chamberlain's Threat-— strong resentment is felt in Ireland (pays the Catholic Titties) at Mr. Austen Chamberlain's threat to withdraw the training ship stationed in Cork Harbour unless his Eminenoe Cardinal Lopue withdraws the part of his. Lenten Pastoral in which he deals with the scandalous want of Catholic chaplains in the Navy. Mr. Chamberlain must know little of the history of the Catholic Church in Ireland if he imagines that for any worldly consideration the Cardinal-Primate oould be induced to withdraw a solemn admonition addressed to hif

people on a matter which concerns their eternal welfare. Not by such methods has the faith been preserved in the Island of Saints. Fnlly a quarter of a century ago the I»te Mr. A. M. Sullivan called attention to the great grievance to which Catholic Bailors were subjected by being deprived of the consolations of religion when in danger of death, and although promises were even then made to consider the matter, but little Has eince been done. It is safe to ■ay that until this glaring injustice has been removed the number of Irish Catholics in the Navy will decrease year by year. Kerry Centenarians-— Cardiff must be a very healthy place to live in. At least its climate seems to agree remarkably well with Irish people who settle there. Mrs. Mary Cummins, a native of Dublin, died in Cardiff the other day at the age of 102 years. There are two other Irish centenarians still living in that town, both hailing from Skibbereen — namely, Mr. Timothy Hayes, aged 107, And Mrs. Sullivan, aged 106 Mrs. Sullivan, who was married twioe and whose father was also a centenarian, is the mother of 17 children, and one of her granddaughters has a son 20 years old. Mr. John Redmond and the Queen's Visit— Speaking in the House of Commons after the announcement of her Majesty's order that the Irish regiments shall in future be allowed to wear the shamrock on St. Patrick's day, and of the Queen's intended visit to Ireland Mr. John Redmond, leader of the Irish Parliamentary party said . — ' I have to ask the indulgence of the House for a moment in order to enable me to say that the Irish people will receive with gratification the announcement that her Majesty has directed that for the future the shamrock shall be worn by the Irish regiments on the Irish National festival. Sir, the Irish people will welcome this grateful recognition of the valor of our race, whatever the field upon which that valor has been exhibited ; and our people, moreover, will treat with respect the visit which the venerable Sovereign proposes to make, well knowing that on this occasion no attempt will be made to give that visit a party significance, and that their chivalrous hospitality will be taken in no quarter to mean any abatement of their demand for their national rights, wb4ph they will continue to press until they are conceded.'