Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 2, 8 January 1903, Page 9

Irish News.

CORK.— Castle Red Tape. Tho Local Government Board — which is a department of Dublin Castle— has issued writs against the members of the Midleton Board of Guardians, seeking to restrain them by injunction from using the Board-room, for United Irish League meetings. The Castle may have a tougher job on hand than it imagines. In a case of disbursement of money it would be simple enough to proceed against the payer and compel him to refund. But there is no expenditure here, nor can it be alleged that tho property suffers damage. Such buildings are used everywhere for many purposes besides Board meetings, and nobody objects. But Dublin Castle would not be what it is if it failed on any opportunity to rub the people tho wrong way. GALWAY.— A Good Suggestion. Bishop M'Cormack, in a letter to the Press, advocates anew the establishment of Galway as a mail packet station for transatlantic traffic. The Bishop, in a highly cogent letter, sets forth Gal way's superior claims. It is the nearest point in the Kingdom to Canada, it is free from the fogs and gales that afflict Queenstown and delay shipping, and it is by far the safest route, having no dread of tho iceberg terror which haunts the Derry and Halifax journey. Finally, the Bishop argues — and it is his best pomt — that the use of Galway as a mail station is not sought simply to yield profit to Galway, but to accelerate and therefore benefit commerce at large thoughout the Empire. LIMERICK.— Proposed Industry. At a meeting of the County Limerick Committee on Technical Education, Rev. Father Nolan, C.C., presiding, Mr. Tatlow, German correspondent for tho Department in Dublin, was introduced by Lord Monteagle, and gave an interesting account of tho basketmaking industry in Germany. If the Committee proposed to start a cottage industry it would not be such a serious matter,, and they could go largely with circumstances, but if the intention was to teach young men tho basketmaking trade for the purpose of earning a living they would enter on a much more »erious question, because they would bo making themselves practically responsible as regards the means by which they were going to enable these youths to live. Two courses were open to the German boy. Ho was taken from school at 3 6 years of age, and served three years with a certified master basketmaker. They were boarded, but received no pay during the period, and were at the end of the term obliged to pass an examination in practical basketmaking, and if they failed they had to serve six months more. The other method was in the Government schools, with certified masters There were 500,000 engaged in the trade in Germany, and they earned from 18s to £2 per week, according to the class of tradesman. Ba.sketmaking could be> a kind of subsidiary employment for the farming classes in wet weather or after hours. Tt was a mistake to think that oziers would only grow in swampy land, ho would prefer to plant them on a hill if tho soil was deep enough. They could be set in beds, and the depth of the soil might bo from 14 to 18 inches. Ozier growing had been a- great success in Kilkenny and Letterfrack, and the ozier-growing and basketmaking industries could bo followed in Ireland with the best results. In Germany half an acre made a profit of £4 10s the first year and £20 the second year. TIPPERARY.— Opposed to Hunting. Tho United League in Tipperary is taking strenuous steps to keep rack-renters and land-grabbers from hunt"ng over the lands of /their victims. In many cases tho hunting leaders have volunteered assurances that no objectionable persons will be allowed to follow their hounds, and where this is not done the league is passing resolutions — as at Templomore — expressing the determination to use every legitimate means to prevent the hunt trespassing on tenants' lands. WATERFORD.— A Victim of Coercion. Mrs O'Mahony, proprietress of the ' Waterford Star,' has been sent to prison for two months under the Coercion Act. GENERAL. Peat Bogs of Ireland. Professor T. Johnson read a paper on ' The peat bogs of Ireland, at the Cork Congress. He stated that the peat bogs of Ireland cover some 1860 square miles or about one-sixth of the surface of the country, and contain fuel equal to 1,200,000.000 tons of pit coal, tho average depth of tho bogs being 25 feet. In giving an account of the nature and mode of action of the best peat litter ho stated that an inquiry into the botanical and economic composition of the bogs of Ireland was very necessavy. Ho urged, with a view to the utilisation of the bogs as sources of litter, of peat-fibro material for manufacturing purposes, of artificial fuel, ana also with a view to the reclamation or improvement ot bog land for agricultural purposes, the creation of three bog experimental stations in the west, centre and southwest, the formation of a Peat Society or Association with a periodical, devoted to tho interests of, tho peat industry, and the development of tho peat division of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, consisting of experts capable of guiding tho work of the experimental stations, and of keeping those

interests in touch with developments abroad, illustrating his remarks by what he had seen of such Government work in Bavaria. Improved Methods. The address which Mr. Horace Plunkett delivered before the' Industrial Conference held at the Cork Exhibition was perhaps the most interesting pronouncement he has made since the establishment of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction. Mr. Plunkett acknowledges that the final settlement of the land question is of ' supreme importance to the future of Ireland.' lie also frankly acknowledges that the time has come when the energies of all Irishmen should be directed to stopping emigration But he goes on to say that he is fully convinced that no improvement in agricultural conditions — all important as they are — ' will succeed in retaining the most enterprising of our young men and our young women in the country of their birth.' A settlement of the land question will, we believe, effect more in that direction than Mr. Plunkett imagines. The land is, and always will be, the main industry in Ireland ; and the present conditions under which it is worked are a serious obstacle to progress. Meanwhile, every industry started or revived is so much gained ; and every improvement in business methods, small or great, is some help towards keeping in the country the Irish population. Economists used to moan over tlie surpulus population of Ireland ; and benevolent persons used to advocate emigration as a desirablo policy. We have not heard any such talk lately. Ireland has, as Mr. Plunkett points out, to make up a good deal of lee-way with regard to industrial matters, and we must forget some of our oldfashioned rays r>f ioing things, ir.rl, in order to keep abreast of the times, study what other countries, puch as Germany and America, ha\ o done, and imitate their superior methods of business wherever we find it practicable and possible. Some of the discussions which followed Mr. Plunkett's address were valuable. Generous Assistance. Mr. J. Redmond, M.P., on his arrival f- cm. America, informed a pressman that the Boston Convention cc uld not have been more successful. At the convention it was undertaken to raise a sum of 100,000 dollars within six months, and before he left about £4000 had been collected. He was certain there would not bo 'he slightest difficulty in raising the remainder. Mr. Dillon and Mr A Pavitt will remain in America for some months. Mr. Russell's Scheme. Mr. T. W. Russell, M.P. for South Tyrone, addressed a crowded meeting in the Assembly Rooms, Leith, under the auspices of the Young Scots Society. Mr. Arthur Powar, advocate, presided. The chairman rejoiced to s*>o that Lord Roseberv on Saturday afternoon talked with more sympathy, and with a desire to unite all parties on the great question of the solution of the Irish problem than he had yet allowed himself to utter Sixteen years ago the Irish question split the Liberal party. He should not bo surprised if now the Irish question was going to unite the Liberal party Mr. Russell, who was cordially reeencd, asked, at the outset, assuming an appeal to the people by general election, what was the position in regard to Ireland ? He took it the- Unionist policy would bo the maintenance of the Union They would potter with tne land question ; they would admit the grie"^ance of higher education, but do nothing They would spend money wisely and unwisely, and they would coerce w here\er and \vhene\er they thought it necessary. It settled nothing and ought to be rejected As to Lord Rosebery's policy, he understood he dropped all proposals for an Irish legislature, subordinate or independent. So far as that was concerned, ho would go with him, but he did not know what was meant by what his friends called a step by step policy in regard to Irish self-government. They had now a great and fairly successful system of local government, and he gathered Lord Rosebery's idea was to gradually enlarge- the powers of these bodies. But administration was one thing, legislation was another, and h« did not see how they could satisfy the demand and the passion for legislative authority by granting any quantity of mere administrative power. The day was not far distant when the venerablo institution at Westminster would lla^ o to be taken to pieces and 10 constructed. How could that be begun better than by devolving Irish business on Irish members. His proposal was not new. It was not Home Rule It was something very different — the supremacy of Irish opinion on Irish affairs under the direct and immediate control of the Imperial Parliament. It would not meat the expirations of the Irish people. That was imt his contention. Hi<* business was to devise a, scheme of 'ii*h r°l'cv for tho time being short, of an Irish Legi.-Uviire, which, ho contended, ought to bo tried before ',ho supreme issue was fought out. Mr. Healy and the Education Bill. In the course of the discussion of the Education Bill, in tho House of Commons, Mr. Healy s aid it rvght be that the Ti ish members were alienating th" ?_,iberal paitv by their attitude towards this Bill. Hut Ye was r.ot prepared, even to gain Homo Rule, to sacrifice the (hance of salvation of the humblest exiled Irish child. A Temperance Crusade. Amidst all the causes for discouragement which present themselves on a review of the condition of Ireland — tho constant drain of emigration, the Government oppression, and the sufferings of the poor — there is a prospect which cheers and comforts. It is the prospect of an Ireland free from the blight of intemperance. Tho total abstinence movement is steadily making headway,

and it is bound to pro&ress still more rapidly, for the most representative men in the country are now lending to it their influence in increasing volume. At a lemperance meeting in Wcxfoi d Town Hall, the Bishon. the Mayor, and the I'iote.stant Archdeacon were present and 700 persons, being unable to get in for want of loom, were turned from the doors. Another meeting was held at Waterford and was attended by the Bishop, Most Key Dr. Sheehan, the High Sheriff, 30 Catholic pi tests, the clergy of Ihe Protestant Episcopalian Chuicti, <m<l Nonconformist ministers A similar union of hearts was exhibited at a RiTMt mooting m Slieo favored !>v ihe jiesence of Bishop Clancy and the Mayor, and Dublin has honored itselt recent ly by (|iiiio a number o. large gatherings held for the purpose of promoting the, temperance movement. Cardinal Lo^ue on the Land Question. During his \isit to Glasgow Cardinal Logue made a \ery interesting speech on the land question. The Cardinal is wisely adverse to harsh treatment of the landlords, and he believes they have suffered as well as the tenants. His Eminence is in fa\ or ol gn mg the landlords a good price for their interest in the land to get rid ot them fote\er. In his opinion the worst enemies of the settlement of the land question aie the glaziers, some of whom have two, thiee, or fi\e hundied or a thousand aci es of the best land given o\er to the bullocks, the result be my that the land is going back to its original pranie state His Eminence described the system of Government in Ireland as bad The (2 o\ eminent of the whole country is in the hands of a clique who are able to do an\ thing they like Since the county government was gi\en into the hands ot the i.eopk it has been a signal success, and, his Eminence asked, is it unreasonable for the people to be allowed a larger scale of government by the, people It is certain that the results would bo satisiactorv And. continued his Eminence, the people will not settle, down until they get sell-govern-ment. Working-men Magistrates. The statement has been made that Mr Robert Cageby, who has be<'ii appointed a .J I' for Belfast, is the first working man who has e\er received a Commission of the Peace in Ii eland Mr Gageby is a flax diosse-r by trade, and has been in the Belfast City Council for some yeats past He is a popular and well-known Trades I nionist The statement that he is the iirst Irish workman to be put on the Bench is scarcely accurate. Some \ears ago, Mr Diamond, when m Ireland. Was asked to nominate some Nationalists in his constituency for the magistracy He nominated one Mr Pati ic'k McKenna, a working blacksmith, stating that until Mr MrKenna got his appointment no other nomination would be toi thcoming. Mr McKenna was appointed and as he was a blacksmith working at the an\il e\eiy f'av, he was} certainly, in omtv i espect a worl-mg man. so that Mr Gagehy is by no humus the lirst manual worker to mount the Tench m 111 1 eland