GENERAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 3, 17 January 1907, Page 28

GENERAL

The First since the Union The Press Association is informed that, irrespective - of party, all the 103 members lor the Irish constituencies signed Mr. William Redmond's memorial to 'the . Government to withdraw the ""existing restrictions which -prevent the growth of tobacco in -Ireland. This > is stated to be the only case since the Union, in which absolutely all the' Irish members have united -in signing any document. The Christian Brothers Some valuable evidence regarding the excellent work of the Christian Brothers in the region of secondary education has been given at the meetings of the Committee of Inquiry into the Condition of Technical Instruction. Rev. Brother Hennessy said every secondary" school in Ireland was now provided with a science laboratory, and most boys must study science "as an essential part of their course. The secondary -schools" of the Christian Brothers- were also equipped with workshops in which manual instruction was given to the boys. Mr. Fletcher, -a high official of the Agricul- " tural and Technical Department, in the course of his evidence said the work of the Christian Brothers fitted the boys for the occupations which they were to follow,. If they had not- had the Ohrist'ian schools they would be- in a very difficult position 1 , for they would have no schools in Ireland to' provide secondary education for "fehe great masses of the people. Emigration' Returns According to the returns obtained by the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police,, who ' acted as enumerators at— the several Irish - seaports, the number of emigrants who left Ireland during- the - quarter ended 30th 'September- last was 8,469^(4,124 males and 4,345 females), being I^o4 more tharrin the corresponding quarter of the year 1 1 ju5, and 1682 under the average number for the third quarter of the ten years 1896-19U5. . A Credit Balance Notwithstanding the' exceptionally heavy emigration this year, an increase would ■ appear _ to have taken place in the population of Ireland during the September quarter. The excess of births over deaths was 9,668, and the" emigrants numbered 8,469; so_ that the increase was nearly .twdve^hundred... It is a small balance to build hopes upon, -but these quarters- with the on the right s4de are beginning to-be riot unusual. ' They are, we trust, the signs that the bottom is being reached in the depletion of Ireland's population, and that a' time is coming when the changes will be once again on the up._ grade, —