GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 5, 4 February 1904, Page 10

GENERAL.

A Bright Outlook Mr. John Redmond, M.P., as Chairman of the Irish Party, writes to the President of the United Irish League in America denying that there is disunion in the ranks, and stating that the prospect is full of the brightest hope. The University Conference Captain Shawe-Taylor has published a list of the membiers of what he describes as ' The Irish University Conference.' The following are the terms of reference : The Conference : (1) To secure an equitable settlement of tbie Irish University question ; (2) To end bectaruu animosity in Ireland. Unfortunately, Captain ShaweTaylor 's list contains no representative of the Protestant Episcopalian Church, nor of Trinity College, nor of the Orange Association, the most formidable opponent of justice to Catholics. The Archbishop of Dublin has stated that he cannot take part m it, as certain conditions which he laid down as necessary when asked to, act have not so far been realised. The President of the Queen's College, Belfast, says that the use of his name in connection with the Conference is unauthorised. Altogether, the prospects of Captain Shawe-Taylor's wellmeant endeavour looks anything but promising. The Conference was intended to consist of six Catholics (C ) and six Protestants (P.). The following is the list of members published : The Archbushop of Dublin, Dr. Walsh (C) ; the Earl of Dunraven, K.P. (P) ; the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Healy (C) ; the Right Hon. the Earl of Mayo, P.C. (P) ; the Bishop of Limerick, Dr. O'Dwyer (C) ; the Rev. Thomas Hamilton, DD , President Queen's ' College, Belfast (P) ; the Lord Mayor of Dublin, M.P. (C) ; Mr. John Cooke, D.L., Trustee Magee College, Londonderry (P) ; Sir Henry Bellingham, Bart., M.A. (C) , the Rev. Professor Dickie, D.D., VicePresident Magee Collegie, Londonderry (P) ; Mr. Douglas Hyde, LL.D., President Gaelic League (P) ; Mr. Nicholas J. Synnott, Secretary Catholic Laymen's Committee (C) ; Honorary Secretary, Captain Shawe-Tay-lor (P). Industrial Work The Rev. T. A. Finlay, S.J., Vice-President of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, is at present m the United States. The object of his mission is to further the work of that organisation. In an article which he contributed to the December issue of the ' Messenger,' a magazine published by the Jesuits in New York, he gives an account of the development of the Irish eooperatne movement, from which it would appear that under the fostering care of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society co-operative societies have multiplied At present the total number of these stocietres in lieland is eight hundred and fifty, and they have a membership of over eighty thousand 'farmers A new element of hope and a new incentive to effort have come to Irish industrial workers from friends in the United States who have formed themselves into the Irish Industrial League of America to aid the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society. In Father Finlay's opinion, the rural factory is the pressing need of the moment, in Ireland, for it is of importance to preserve th« nealthy home hfo of ihe people and to void massing them in city slums The rural factory system of the Eastern Swiss cantons, of Voralberg, and Southern Bavaria, furnish, it seems, the models which many Irish economists, for whom wealth means the welfare of the people, would gladly imitate.