Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 15, 14 April 1904, Page 9

Irish News

ANTRIM. -Sudden Death Sir James Musgrave, Bart., for many years chairman of tlie Belfast Harbor Board, died suddenly on Sunday, February 21. ARMAGH.— St. Patrick's Cathedral His Eminence Cardinal Logue has announced that the work of restoring the National Cathedral of St. Patrick is neaily completed. Tihe consecration has been fixed fior the 24th of July. The Archbishop of Dublin has promised to sing the Mass of Consecration, and the Archbishop of Tuam has placed at the Cardinal's disposal ior the consecration sermon his brilliant gifts of learning and eloquence. The Archbishop of New York, a distinguished son of the archdiocese of Armagh, >has promised to be present with other prelates, and possibly even a representative of the Holy See. CORK.— The Bandon Estate The whole of the tenants on the Earl of Bandon's estate in the barony of Cour,ceys have purchased their holdings at 21$ years' 'purchase, with the remission of a half-year's rent. All were fi,rst term judicial tenancies. DERRY.— Death of a Well-known Citizen A very notable personality in the citizen life of Darry has passed away in death in the person of Mr. Henry Perry, who was believed to be the oldest undertaker for funerals in Ireland. For nearly ninety years Mr, Perry had been a conspicuous figure in the city, where he enjoyed the cordial esteem of all classes.. He was a most exemplary Catholic, fulfilling all his religions obligations with a fidelity and 'zeal which gave great edification in the community. In the times of storm and stress of bygone days Mr. Perry played a manly part as a nationalist in Derry, and he could telA many reminiscences of stormy incidents in [>arty struggles then witnessed there at periodic intervals. His great age caused him to be constantly referred to as a topographical authority in the borough for the identification of disputed property sites. DUBLIN.— The Late Mr. McCann It is announced that the late Mr James McCann's indtusttrial schemes will be carried on by his family Proposed Industrial Exhibition Lord iveagh writes that he will guarantee £10,000 towards the International Exhibition provided the balance of £200,000 is guaranteed. Sufferers for the Faith The first sitting of the Diocesan TribMnal in the case of the canonisation of those who suffered death for the faith m lieland, especially under the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth, and in the time of Cromwell, was held recently at Archbishop's House, Dublin Technical Education At a special meeting of the Dublin Coipoiation a scheme for the purpose of purchasing a site costing £>6256 m Rutland Square, suitable, 'for the erection*, of a technical school, was considered and appro\ed of A Royal Visit The King and the Queen proceed to Ireland on the 26th iiibt They visit, Lord Dudley, the Lord Lieutenant, the DuKe of Connaught, also the Marquis of Ormonde at Kilkenny Castle, and the Duke of Devonshire at Lisroore Castle. Church Music The Archbishop of Dublin, in a letter to his clergy, says he has applied to the Holy See for one or two concessions which, if granted, would enable choirs to be formed in some churches in which, undor the new legislation, if some such concession cannot be obtained, it may be necessary in future to dopond altogether upon congregational singing. Intrigues at Dublin Castle The ' Irish Weekly ' states that the rumor is revi\cd that Sir Antony MacDonnell is about to retire fiom the "tinder-Secretaryship at Dublin Castle His position is siaid to have been rendered almost impossible by the intrigues of the old gang, and it is whispered that he warmly resents the treachery on the University question and that he has put his foot down in the matter of jury-packing The King and the Lord-Lieutenant are credited with being strong supporters of the UnderSerretary in his policy, but unless the rumor is much astray the Chief-Secretary, with that weakness which has characterised most of his administrative career, would prefer not to be troubled with any inconvenient controversies, and is, therefore, not giving that wholehearted siujp-port which is essential to any policy of re-

form in the Irish Government. He is probably in Cull sympathy with Sir Antony MacDonnell's views, but being not much firmer than whalebone he is susceptible of pressure and influence from the only Irish circle in whach he moves, namely, the ascendancy pi&rty. KERRY. — Removed from the Bench The Question of signing one's name in Irish before the House ol Commons the other day. It will be rememibered that the same question cropped up in the Dublin Revision Court, when the writer of an Irish signature, met/ with an aidverse decision. In the present lusUjLce, Mi. M'Donagh Mahony, of Cahirciveen, has been removed from the Bench by the Lord Chancellor, because he signs his name in Irish. Mr. Thomas O'Don.nell, Mr. John Redmond, and others questioned the Attorney-Oeneral on the matter, and the reply was given that ' there is a statutory requirement that t&e language employed should be English.' X I LI) A RE.— Not Responsible Most Rev. Dr. Foley, Bishop of Kildaore and Leighlin, in his Lenten Pastoral, sayis that nothing could be more preposterous than the attempt to hold the bishops responsible for the Catholic Association, MAYO.— Antidote to Intemperance Dealing in his Lenten Pastoral with the drinlk evil the Most Rev. Dr. Conmy, Bisihop of Killa-la, says :, In the case of grown people we are convinced that a most effective means of checking the spread of intemperance wo>uld be faithful membership of the AntiTreating Leaigue of St. Patrick. The League is an association formed for suppressing this prolific source of waste and demoralisation. No great sacrifice is demanded from its members ; the sole obligation contracted is neither to take nor to give a treat in a public-house. Spletijdid results have followed its establishment everywhere. WATERFORD.— An Old Bridge Public attention is again being focusseti on the toll bridgle of Waterford, especially since the extension of the New Ross line of railway to Waterforjd. Viceregal Commissions notwithstanding, the old wooden bridge, generally dubbed ' the bundle of stides,' still remains as a relic of days long gone by— and all travellers from north of Wcxford, Kilkenny, and Tipperary must pay for tihe privilege of crossing this structure. Opened on January 18, 1794, this wooden bridge is now in its 111 th ye&r, and it is estimated that the capital of the Bridge Commissioners has been paid by the public twenty times over. Now that the alternative route from Dublin to the South via Enmscarthy and NewRoss has been opened up by the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway Company, it is surely high time that the woollen bridge, built by Lemuel Cox m 1793 (to crosc which toll is extracted), was replaced by a substantial free bridge. WICKLOW.— Au Objectionable Practice At the Avoca Petty Sessions, during the hearing of a charge of drunkenness against an army pensioner names Cummins,, it transpned that an attempt was being made to send his child, a lit We boy of eleven, to one of Mis. Smyhe's Protestant Homes in Dublin, although he and his father are Catholics. Mr. Meldon, R M , who presided on the Bench, having perused some documents connected with the matter handed to him by tihe prisoner, said on principle it seemed most objectionable tihat children — destitute children — should be so hecly taken into establishments of a different religion to their parents a,nd themselves His Worship decided to send the child tv> a workhouse until arrangements could be made to place him in an industrial school where he will be brought up in the Catholic faith. GENERAL Mr. Blake's Health Mr Kklward Blake, M P , is only enjoying indifferent health, and his medical advisers have forbidden him to remain late at night m the House of Commons. Envoy to the States al the request of the chairman of the Irish Party Mr O'Canor Kelly, M.P., has gone to the United States to carry out some important or^ainising work in view of the National Convention next autumn Mr. O'Conor Kelly, wjhose aksence will extend over a couple ' of months, will visit California, some of the Southern States, aaid Canada. Competitive Examinations At the last half-yearly meeting the directors of the Midland Great Western Railway finally agreed to appoint theix clerks by open competitive examination, with the reservation that a proportion, not exceeding one-fourth, are to be the sons or near relatives of deserving officials of the Company, ' providing they are eligible and succeed in passing a suitable qualifying examination.'

Slow Procedure

Mr. T. W. Russell, in a scathing description of the scandals of the Irish Land Judge's Court, mentioned an instance of an estate in which he had himself some interest, which came into that court some years ago and is still in it. When the estate was brought into the court it was solvent ; it had, however, since become hopelessly insolvent. Mr. T. W. Russell's description of the fortunes of this estate in Judge Ross's Court recalls the celebrated remark of Dean Swift in Captain Lemuel Gulliver's introduction to his ' Travels.' 'My father, ' he wrote, • was plaintiff in a Chancery sluit, which was decided in his favor with costs. He was, of course, hopelessly ruined.' Emigration Notwithstanding the efforts of t)he Anti-Emigration Society (writes a Dublin correspondent), a substantial increase took place last year as compared witb the preceding years rji the number of people, who left the country. At first sight it would seem from this as if the work of the Society had been all in vain. It would be a mistake to come to such a conclusion. The increase would certainly have been greater were it not for the valuable information scattered throughout Ireland by the Society as to the cotndition of the labor market in America. A more powerful antidote is, however, necessary to cope with an evil of such magnitude. It must be evident to every thinking person that employment for those who need it is the one and only thing that can stop the terrible drain thati goes steadily on year after year. Beside this every other remedy proposed fades into insignificance. If those Irishmen who are blessed with wealth atad have the good of their country at heatrt would only follow the excellent example set them by the late Mr. J. McCann, M.P., the land would in a short time be dotted with industries of a remunerative kind and there wquld be no necessity for the youth of Ireland to seek a livelihood abroad. Railway Rates Mr. J. F. O'Brden called attention recently in the Hoius© of Commons to the question of transit and railway rates in Ireland. He complained that there was no harmony in the working of the various railways in Ireland, and suggested that negotiations should be opened to put all the lines of railway under one common Boar,d . The railway system had always been a great hindrance to the trade of the country. Irish railway rates were 22 per cent higher than the English The remedy clearly wayS to amalgamate the railways under one common Board. The Board of Trade could easily formulate a scheme that would guarantee the profits to each railway, and work the whole for the general tta.de and prosperity of the country. Mr Wyndham, iv icply, said that reduction in rates had already been made in many cases Through the action of the Department for Agriculture in Ireland experiment had been made for nine montfis to collect agricultural produce on seventeen different routes by means of motors, which was believed by many people to be the best means of solving the problem of gathering agricultural piohuoe, if it was to be put on the railway on anything like leasonable terms. The chief difficulties which had anscn originally had been the speed limit and the state ot the Irish roaids, but the Government were now prepared to increase tiie speed limit to ten miles, and the weight of the cars to three tons, with a trailer of a ton and a half W it'll regard to the roads, they must be certified by the colmly surveyors as sufficient to take the cars They must endeavor to make the Irish railways buck up courage, and take their place side by side with private enterprise in developing Irish industries and agriculture.