Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 13 June 1912, Page 39

Irish News

GENERAL.

An • interesting feature of the Home Rule Bill is the fact that Ireland will have her own postage stamps, presumably of her own design. This has been confirmed by Mr. Herbert Samuel himself, who informed a press representative that Ireland would in all probability fall into line with the colonies in the matter of separate postage stamps.

In recognition of their conspicuous bravery on the occasion of the wreck of the trawler Rosebud at Balbriggan, in October of last year, the trustees of the Carnegie Hero Fund have contributed £ls each to Coastguardsmen Strandford and Murphy, of Balbriggan. The men have also been presented with certificates on vellum.

To vary an old saying, politics make strange bedfellows. The Catholic Earl of Kenmare was among the speakers at an anti-Home Rule demonstration in Cork, to which, by the way, no one in the fair city of the Lee, offered the slightest opposition. On the other hand, one of the principal speakers at the Home Rule Convention in Dublin was the Rev. Mr. McCutcheon, the Protestant Rector of Kenmare. About the middle of April Mr. W. J. D. Walker, C. 8., of the Congested Districts Board, and Mr. John Drennan, 8.L., Registrar of the Estates Commissioners, were examined in Dublin before the Departmental Committee on Agricultural Credit. Mr. Walker described the peasantry as marvellously honest. In Donegal he knew of cases where, when people got work, they paid debts incurred by their fathers and grandfathers. The Right Rev. Dr. Browne, Bishon of Cloyne presiding at a meeting of the Cork Citv Technical Committee recently, said he could not withhold the expression of the very great pleasure he felt on reading the outspoken testimony, founded on their experience* of Canon Courtenay Moore and Mr. Williams, to the harmonious relations that prevailed among Catholics and Protestants in the South of Ireland, and notably in Cork City and County, and to the heartiness and goodwill with which they worked together for the common good.

ABUSE IS NOT ARGUMENT. Speaking at Curry Rivel, South Somerset, the Hon Aubry Herbert, M.P., said that whilst he agreed with the Unionist Party on the Home Rule question, he thought it was rather a pity they did not sometimes take a wider view of it. If the Empire was going to succeed it meant a good deal of conciliation. Therefore he was sorry when he heard people on the Unionist side take up a strong and abusive line with regard to Irishmen and Catholics, who had done as much for the Empire as Englishmen. Those who at present had interests clashing with ours must be reconciled

GOLDSMITH'S BIRTHPLACE. „ _ The project to erect a suitable monument to Goldsmith m London (writes a correspondent) is being enthusiastically taken up. His anniversary invariably brings a crowd of worshipping admirers to the Temple where 'poor Noll' was buried. The great Irish poet and dramatist died on April 4, 1774, in his 46th year His birthplace was for long a subject of keen controversy—many persons having been misled by Johnson's epitaph—but the researches of Monsignor Kelly of Athlone, and the Right Hon. Dr.' M. F. Cox leave no room for doubt as to Elphin, County Roscommon, having an unquestionable claim for that honor. Goldsmith was born on November 10, 1728, at Smith Hill Llphm and in his second year was brought to Lissoy ( Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain '), where he learned the three R's from Tom Byrne, the village schoolmaster, and then passed to the Elphin Diocesan School, but stayed with his uncle, John Goldsmith, at Ballyoughter, about a mile distant. '

THE NATIONAL FUND.

Twelve months ago (says the Irish Weekly of April 30) the National Fund for 1911 stood at £3746 5s 6d. The National Trustees acknowledge £7826 15s 6d this week—a difference of £4OBO 10s in favor of the country's response so far—to the appeal issued a few months ago by the Most Rev. Dr. O'Donnell, Mr. John E. Redmond, and Mr. John Fitzgibbon. Those Unionist adepts at misrepresentation who maintain that the Irish people's demand for self-government is not being pressed with as much fervor as in previous years will find no consolation in such figures. They will prefer to ignore them. But the country at large will not ignore the lesson taught by the splendid response to the trustees' appeal and the amount of nearly £540 contributed this week can be doubled at any time if an all-round rally is made. Belfast's second list of subscriptions brings the total to date from the people of this city alone up to £506; and Belfast can add the full £IOOO to the National Exchequer if all the Home Rulers within the city's boundaries perform their duty to their nation's cause. The limitless wealth of the English Tory Party is being ' poured out like water'; and the Irish people must remember it is their own battle they are fighting when they give to the war chest. We are on the eve of victory, but we must redouble, not slacken, our efforts.

TOLERATION IN DUBLIN.

Mr. James Glover, the popular conductor of the Drury Lane orchestra, is a many-sided man (remarks the Glasgow Observer). Besides wielding the baton, he has been Mayor of Bexhill, and he is a very practical politician as the sequel will show. Irritated lately by the persistence of a Unionist statement that Protestants are excluded from remunerative employment under the Corporation of Dublin, Mr. Glover took the straight step of writing to the Lord Mayor of Dublin and asking for facts. He got them. Here are some. During recent years two Protestant Home Rulers, Sir Thomas Pile and Mr. James Shanks, were elected by the nationalist and Catholic majority of the Dublin Corporation as Lord Mayor and Sheriff of the City. As to paid officials, Dublin Corporation during the past five years increased the salary of its borough surn7™' Ml *' S P encer Hart y> who is a Protestant, from £IOOO a year to £ISOO, and when he retired it gave him an allowance of £IOOO a year unanimously. Sir Charles Cameron, head of the Public Health Department in V7i J n lS a Profcestanfc who has received the freedom or the City from the Corporation which employs him. Ihe chief electrical engineer is a Protestant, Mr.. Ruddle, with a salary of £750, and most of the officials or the same department are also Protestants. Mr Fred Allan the secretary, has £SOO a year. In every other Department of the Corporation the same condition holds good. One of the latest appointments made, that of draughtsman, chosen by the Finance Committee, resulted m the election of a Protestant'. Merit and ability, the Lord Mayor adds, are what the Corporation of Dublin seek when considering appointments, 'and all our clerkships are filled by competitive examination irrespective of any other consideration.'

DISTINGUISHED GAELIC SCHOLARS. A special meeting of the Dublin Corporation was held on April 22 the Lord Mayor presiding, to witness the affixing to the roll of honorary burgesses the name of Dr. Kuno Meyer, Professor of Celtic Philology in the University of Berlin; Professor of Celtic in the University of Liverpool; Professor of German in the University of Liverpool; also the name of the Very Coi Pet^. Can L T'- P.P., Castlelyons, County boik, Ixaelic orator and writer. ■••. •The Lord Mayor . said that the Municipal Council some nine months ago unanimously decided to ask Dr Kuno Meyer and the Very Rev. Peter Canon O'Leary to accept the freedom of the city of Dublin. That day hi f aSSe^ ble / for the purpose of witnessing both these distinguished men affixing their names to the roll of honorary freemen, and also to present them wit],

illuminated sealed certificates. The freedom of the city was the highest gift in their power to bestow, and the fact that during the past 36 years but 25 names had been added to the list indicated that the Municipal Council conceived the honor to be no mean one, and only conferred it upon men . who by services of some kind had established pre-eminent claims for gracious recognition. In honoring the two gentlemen present that day they honored the Council and the city. Connected with University education in England from his early manhood, Dr. Kuno Meyer was admittedly one of the most distinguished educationalists there, and when leaving England for Germany to take up the great position of Professor of Celtic Studies in the Berlin University he had so established himself that the worldfamed English Universities vied with each other in their efforts to place on record their appreciation of the man's deep learning, great knowledge, and educational work. Canon O'Leary's name was known and respected in the house of every man who ever took any interest either in the language or political movements of the country. He was typical of the old Gaelic race, and was born at a time when Irish was spoken more generally than English, and when the native tongue only was heard in more than half the country. By his writings he had preserved the continuity of the Gaelic literature. Long before the Gaelic League movement existed in Ireland Canon O'Leary was a devoted Gael of recognised position. The Lord Mayor concluded by asking Dr. Kuno Meyer and the Very Rev. Canon O'Leary, P.P., to sign the roll of Honorary Freemen, and said that he was satisfied that they were paying a high tribute to two great and distinguished men, and that they were honoring Dublin by their proceedings that day.

PROTESTANTS AND THE BILL.

The Home Rule Council has received messages from leading Irish Protestants, among them being the following The Rev. J. B. Armour, a Presbyterian divine in Ballymoney, County Antrim: 'lt is a vastly improved edition of the 1893 Bill. All Liberals here think its provisions ought to quieten Protestant fears of persecution and robbery. It is a statesmanlike and healing measure worthy to pass.' ' Mr. J. F. Campbell, J.P., a surveyor in county Derry: . ' The Bill will heal sores caused by centuries of friction, and implant in the hearts of a long misgoverned people loyalty, contentment, and union.' Dr. Charles Forsythe, J.P., a medical practitioner in Coleraine for forty years: ' The Bill is an honest and statesmanlike measure; it should be accepted by all who desire the welfare of Ireland's inhabitants.' Mr. William Gibson, J.P., a farmer, of Banbridge, County Down : ' Welcome Bill with all my heart; great charter of liberty. An honest and fearless effort to remedy long-suffered wrongs and oppressions.' Mr. David C. Hogg, Lord-Lieutenant of County Derry: The Bill reflects the minds of all thinking Irishmen. Safeguards ample, financial responsibility of proposed Irish Executive will steady them.' Mr. Thomas Patton, of Dublin, barrister-at-law, son of Rev. S. Patton, of Londonderry: 'The Bill gives every conceivable guarantee for civil and religious liberty, and in my opinion it is satisfactory in other respects.' ' The Right Hon. Thomas Shillington, J.P., linen manufacturer in Belfast and Portadown, a member of the Privy Council in Ireland, and a leading member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church: 'Religious disabilities are amply and • effectively provided against in the Bill, only the pusillanimous and panic-mongers will object. _ The legislative and administrative proposals are satisfactory, but finance might possibly be simplified.' Mr. Lindsay Talbot-Crosbie, J. 8., D.L., an Irish landlord and a deputy lieutenant for the County of Kerry: ' Consider the Bill an excellent basis of settlement. Success would be assured if all parties accepted it as such. Personally, I consider the Senate superfluous, and strongly object to nomination.'