Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 7, 12 February 1903, Page 3

Irish News.

ANTRIM. -Breaking Away. Alderman Lawther, D.L., the High Sheriff of Belfast, has apparently emancipated himself from some curious Belfast notions about Irish affairs. He is old enough to remember the famine and the terrible exodus. When I look back,' he says, ' over the heartrending scenes, of the sailing of ships with emigrants from Belfast and other Irish ports, my heart burns with shame, sadness, and regret to see the old timber brigs, or ships turned into passenger vessels, without ventilation, light or any suitable sanitary arrangements ; the emigrants having most of their own food packed in barrels their own bedclothes, bundled into a dungeon— to face an Atlantic voyage— of 70 days' duration.' Mr. Lawther does not hesitate to place his finger on the cause of all this Irish distress, which has gone on to the present day— English government. ' Irish officials appointed by one Prime Minister after another, since the Act of Union in 1801 to the present time, I estimate.' he says, 'to have cost millions upon millions. No qualification or fitness for office ; solely political influence to begin with winding up with the usual pension. Fancy 'Mr Lawther adds, ' such an army to provide for, to enumerate them to compel a return of the money so spent under one head or another, this Board, that Board, and so on from one sop to meet a cry, so-and-so gets this grant with the usual political officials attached, and their pensions following, and then another cry is raised, with the like results, leaving the great Land question as far off a final settlement as ever. The past history as shown nas been a system of patchwork. Is it any wonder, with such a history, wo have the present position of Irish affairs ? ' CORK.— Mr. Davitt's Return. A' hearty and well-deserved welcome (says the Freeman s Journal') awaited Mr. Davitt when he again touched Irish soil on his return from participation in the arduous and successful mission in America. The Cork branch of the United Irish League expressed the views and feelings of every Nationalist in Ireland in the eloquent tribute to Mr. Davitt's life-long service in the Irish cause. His description, in his reply, of his experiences on the other side of the Atlantic was eminently encouraging. "While the fight is maintained in Ireland America supports it with cordial sympathy and substantial aid. It >s only by apathy or disunion that sympathy can be alienated. Mr. Davitt paid a special tribute to the services on the mission of Mr Dillon whose health broke down under the strain of his exertions. In an interview with our reporter, he expressed his view that, apart from the general contributions of the organisation in America, from the iifteen meetings which Mr. Dillon and himself had addressed as much as 4,10,000 might be expected. Mr. Davitt brings good news to Ireland, and finds good news before him The organisation grows in strength from day to day. ]f American support be dependent on the energy of the home movement, then American sympathy is 'secure it only needed the tonic of coercion to conclude and complete the work of reunion and organisation in Ireland DUBLIN.— The • Irish People ' Prosecution. The appeal of Messrs. McCarthy. O'Dwyer, and Holland, editor, manager, and publisher, of the ' Irish leople,' against sentences under the Coercion Act was heard in the King's Bench Division, Dublin, on December 20. The sentence of two months' imprisonment in the case of the editor was confirmed In the other two cases the judgment of the magistrate was sot aside. Proselytising His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin presided on Sunday, December 21, at a largely-attended meeting at the Sacred Heart Home, Drumcondra, and- delivered an important address on the working of the Protestant proselytising system, which aims nt the kidnapping of the children of the poor. It was, he said, a traffic which its conductors must feel to be debasing, and it was all but inconceivable that they could be so ignorant of the first principles of Christian moinlitv as not to know it was sinful. It was surprising that no authoritative protest had come from the responsible pastors of the religious body in the supposed interests of which it was carried on. A Successful Teacher. The unexpected has happened this year in connection with the award of the cup presented by Mr. William O'Brien, M.P., for presentation to the National teacher whose pupils secure the largest number of passes in Irish in the examinations of the National Board The cup has been awarded to St. Andrew's National School, Great Brunswick street, Dublin, and the teacher who has succeeded in winning the trophy is Mr. Patrick J. Byrne, a member of the Keating Branch of the Gaelic League, who a year and a half ago knew only a word or two of Irish. He presented 85 pupils, all of whom passed. Mr Hickson, Ardainone, Lispole, County Kerry. came next with 84, and Mr. T. O'Scannell, Ba'llingeary County Cork, third, with 83 successful pupils. Mr. Scannell has been the holder of the cup for some years, having wrested it from Mr Hickson in '99, and retained it since. He and Mr. Hickson have practically kept the trophy between them since it was first presented by Mr O'Brien, and it is rather significant to find a metropolitan school winning it from them now.

The Palestrina Choir. who has trained the choir for the past four years -will be the musical director, and Mr. Brendan RoVers will so^apa^fv^medTn a ? h or * ani »t. a P«3tioS wh&h "he fa£ p£»l™ Ssflnd^oir'maS 1^ 11 ' Mr " S ' "*»™**. « °rgaDeath of a Canon. vi P J h T),,h»7 ?? e n Ca ?? n Keon ' P Rrish P«-I«*t of Fairncs?' Canon"' Kntl" Dece^er 22, after a prolonged illtered on I «£??£ EfV'S* 11 "* 1 P - riest in 1856 ' and cn ~ He w?? curatP «f r« dlocese ° f Dublin immediately. uuav and £ lnt » rent , periods in Clontarf, Arranmmmmm A Good Record. Since its foundation, some 16 years airo the Sarrprt off/pi ings Catholic parents to part with their helpless Parliamentary Vacancy. mour Busho X.0., pledges himself not to take offi<s Xi £X »n ;s M &e^^- C a^i” aX^su:v.'s°, QALWAY.— Archdiocese of Tuam. thnT^°ti Pa !" is^ prie T sts of the archdiocese of Tuam met in m P «£n C al ° n Dccemh ™ 23 ior the purpose of "ecom- *«* ?* s V ccessor to the lat e Most Roy. Dr. MacEvillv Aon. " Dl '- MacCor^ck presided at the & KERRY.— The Tide of Emigration. Weekly o'^0 '^ b h a » n « ef^ft tiC ! e ,° f (says the 'Irish S ) . has left lts lamentable marks in an especial manner in many a district throughout Ireland but scarcely anywhere more than in Kerry 8 have Us evil influences been experienced and deprecated. The number of s?v Iff ii r ho nt f w ?° ff hh * ye lGft those each £2?^ to s>.iy the least of it, simply appalling. Man- as are the touching exhortations from responsible persons in fc a ' T " n ™ irom <J°th pulpit and platiorm it .f' 11 Ireland, concerning the perils of emigration, yet. sad to relate, those exhortations seemingly have no appreciable effect. Onward they go regardless of the adversities, both physical and financial, which many of them must inevitably encounter in the land of the stranfn 1 "' n ni t 'P ea^} li S of the moral side of the question at dlnrfh m i circumstances have natural^ produced a dearth of laborers in those districts, with the result that were it not lor the introduction and utilisation of machinery farmers would find it practically Impossible to prosecute agricultural operations under existing circumstances. Unfortunately the dearth of laborers occasioned by the exodus of emigrants has not enhanced to any appreciable extent the financial or material circumstances of those who remain at home, as machinery has to a considerable extent dispensed with many features of manual labor. Lack of industrial development is another potent factor instrumental in the promotion of emigration from those districts. "^u* TIPPERARY.— Death of a Clonmel Man. Mr. Felix O'Neill a veteran of '48 and '67 died reS at his residence, Lisronagh, Clonmel, ' aged 82 years. The interment took place on December 16 in the family burial ground, Ballyneale. Destructive Fire in Thurles. A few days before Christmas a destructive fire took place in Thurles, resulting in damage to the extent of M, )OU £ 6O u )( ,V T^e outbreak occurred in the «hop of Mi. ±\ Rahill, of the Square, and from there spread to the premises of Mr. Maher. The shops of Messrs Deacon and Ryan were also injured. As the fire occurred during the night, and had taken a strong hold before it was seen, nothing was saved from Messrs. Kahili's and Maher s premises. Great sympathy was felt for the sufferers, and on the following day a subscription list was opened, when the Archbishop of Cashel gave £20 and Messrs. Kirwan a like amount.

GENERAL, An Ambitious Undertaking:. The Ancient Order of Hibernians of New York already own a 100,000dol. site in Fifth Avenue, upon which they propose to put a 250,000d01. building, to be known as the Hibernian Institute. A Railway Company Climbs Down. The Great Southern and Western Railway Company, in deference to public opinion, have thrown open to public competition all future appointments to their service. This victory — for it is nothing less — is the result of the exposure to which the management has been subjected by the Catholic Shareholders' committee, but especially by two of its members — Father O'Donnell, P.P., and Mr. Sweetman, ex-M.P. When the Catholic body adopt a similan attitude all over Ireland, the Midland and Great Northern Companies, the banks, insurance companies, drapery establishments, and public bodies generally will be compelled to do similar justice to Catholics. Apathy on the part of the Catholic body is largely responsible for the deplorable state of things which prevails, by which those who profess the ancient Faith are boycotted in Catholic Ireland. Poultry for the English Market. From an instructive article recently published in the Manchester ' Evening News ' we learn that Ireland heads the list of countries laid under contribution for th» Christmas poultry markets of England with turkeys, geese, and chickens, then following in the order named — Scotland, Canada, France, Russia, Austria-Huneary, Italy, Germany, and Servia. The English farmer's absence from the Christmas markets is attributed to his ' surprising sluggishness,' and in paying a compliment to Irish activity in this respect the paper says : ' The turkey hias helped to pay the Irish farmer's rent for ninny years past, and even now, notwithstanding the competition of the Continent and the colonies, the Irish turkey holds pride of place both as regards quantity and quality.' Not less than 2000 tons of poultry are distributed at the Manchester Christmas markets, which, at 6^d per Ib, represents £120,000. The League in England. Several London members of the United Irish League of Great Britain have projected a monthly magazine which will devote itself entirely to the interests of the League in London. The editor will be Mr. John Scurr, of the Executive Council, and the idea is to make the paper reflect the work and movements of the Irish Leaguers in London. The Right Moment. Writing of the victory recently scored by the Irish Party on the Education Bill, the ' Observer ' says • — ' The Irish leader called his forces back at the psychological moment, and did his work from beginning to end. He and his Party kept their own counsel, and refused to change the policy they had marked out for themselves in October at their meeting in the Dublin City Hall. The result has been a vindication of their wisdom and a new proof of their unity and discipline and a great increase of their popularity and influence in Ireland, and, above all, it has proved once again that in Mr John Redmond the Nationalists of Ireland have got the fit successor to Charles Stewart Parnell if there is such an Irishman now living.' Uuiversity Education. Tftie Royal Commission on University Education in Ireland reject the proposed Catholic Denominational University, but recommend an increased endowment for the Jesuits' University, St. Stephen's Green, or that the Archbishops and bishops be granted a new college with a Catholic atmosphere. The Commission also supgest an increased grant to Belfast Queen's College, with a view to its development. The Coercion Act. The summary jurisdiction conferred under the Coercion Act has been revoked in the boroughs of Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, and 10 rural districts. Promised Land Bill. In the course of a speech at the Vice-Regal levee recently, the Earl of Dudley (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) announced that Mr. Wyndham's Irish Land Bill had been drafted. It would exceed all former bills in its generosity towards genuine tenants. All the notable landlords had been consulted during the drafting of the measure.