Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 13 February 1913, Page 39

Irish News

GENERAL. Mr Justice McGarvey, Dirnan, Cookstown, who has just attained his 102nd birthday, received a message of congratulation from the King, who. expressed the hope that the rest of the centenarian’s days ‘ may be blessed with peace and happiness.’ The Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have appointed Mr. T. P. O’Connor, 8.A., Senior Inspector of National Schools, as Chief of Inspection in succession to Mr. J. J. Hynes, M.A. Mr. O'Connor was educated at Blackrock College, County Dublin, from which many students have passed into the higher grades of the Civil Service. The Daily News , commenting on Mr. J. McVeagh’s recent exposure in the House of Commons of the readymade speeches supplied from the Rosenbaum factory to taciturn Tories, says that recently in the House of Commons members were amazed, after congratulating a young Tory member on a very brilliant speech, to find just the same speech delivered by a Tory Front bencher who came into the House after his junior had stolen, or rather utilised, his Rosenbaum thunder. Summing-up in the Castledawson riot case, tried at the Derry Assizes, Mr. Justice Wright used these words:—‘ At any rate, it has been absolutely proved in that Court that no injuries had been inflicted on any woman or child, and he was glad to have that proved in Court.’ What, then becomes of the Unionist lie, which was so sedulously utilised in press and on platform by the Irish Unionist Alliance and its British auxiliaries, that women and children had been stabbed and injured, and ‘would carry the scars of the wanton attack for years to come ' ? CANON MOORE AND HOME RULE. The Mitchelstown Guardians have passed a resolution expressing admiration of the action of Canon Courtney Moore, Rector of Bridgown, in going to London to speak at a Protestant Home Rule demonstration, and appreciation of his contribution in the press on the National question. Mr. C. O’Brien, the mover, alluded to Canon Moore’s silencing of the shameful and ungrateful cry of religious intolerance that was being raised by the Orangemen and other bigots’; and Mr. P. Harrington, the seconder, and the chairman (Mr. W. W. O’Dwyer, J.P.) also paid tribute to the Canon’s work ‘ in every movement for the betterment of Irishmen.’ IRISH EDUCATIONAL IDEALS. At the distribution of prizes to the students of Waterford Technical Institute, the Most Rev. Dr. Sheehan said there had been a great increase in the number of students, and he thought the work deserved the support of all the citizens. The days were gone by when the people of the country would be satisfied with any sort of inferior work, and it was high time that they should take their place with the other nations of the earth and again produce work in Ireland of a similar character to that produced in Ireland in the days of old. The Right Hon. Dr. Cox, P.C., who distributed the prizes, said the pleasure he felt at being present was enhanced enormously by the fact that they were privileged to have his Lordship presiding. He was in his right place—the place which the Church ought to occupy— out the way of light and leading to the people. IRISH ANTIQUITIES IN DANGER. In a lecture delivered in Dublin, under the auspices of the National Literary Society, Professor Macalister, M.A., said there were two aims in archaeology which were mutually destructive. In archaeology a man sought either for loot or for learning. In the former case the individual who was a hunter for buried treasure was a nuisance, who disturbed the true aims of a genuine archaeologist. In Ireland great damage was being done in that way. In England three Com-

missions were sitting at present to enquire into and report on the antique. remains of England, Scotland, and Wales, while nothing of the sort was being done for Ireland. In Ireland alone could they read of a great European civilisation which had developed without the assistance of the Roman Empire. Yet they were allowing many of their ancient monuments to perish without an effort being made ; to guard them. There should be a national demand to have that state of things remedied. He was not blaming individuals, but he thought . children at school should not be allowed to grow up in ignorance of the heritage which was theirs to discover in interesting parts of Ireland. Irish antiquities, he held should be made the subject of study in every Irish school, and then there would be no need for legislation to protect the antique monuments which were in danger of destruction. THE IRISH PARTY AND VOTES FOR WOMEN. Mr. Hugh Law, in the letter to the secretary of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, laid down very clearly the attitude which he intends to adopt, and which no doubt will be adopted by other Suffragists in the Irish Party, in regard to the Suffragette amendment to the Franchise Bill. Mr. Law points out that rumors have been constantly recurring lately, stating that if such a principle were carried the Prime Minister would feel obliged to resign'office. That in turn would mean the break-up of the Ministry and the loss of the Home Rule Bill. Naturally, no Irish Nationalist member is going to give any vote that would entail such a consequence. The Irish members are out for Home Rule, and they must subordinate to its interests every other question coming before the House of Commons, no matter what their personal views and predilections on such other questions may be. THE BISHOP OF LIMERICK ON EDUCATION. Speaking at the distribution of prizes at Laurel Hill Day School, Limerick, the Right Rev. Dr. O’Dwyer said: —Education in Ireland is, in my opinion, in a thoroughly sound and healthy condition. Both secondary and primary schools are doing their work with thorough efficiency, and I do not think that in any fair comparison they are inferior to the schools in any other country. And what contributes to their success is the profound religious peace in which they work. The Chief Secretary, who has had some experience of the bitterness which religious controversies in the schools provoke, says: ‘ The state of things existing in Ireland is heaven,’ and so it is. Protestants and Catholics in Ireland differ on many things, but all of them can educate their children in peace and in accordance with their religious beliefs. Well that is something to be thankful for. But unfortunately it is not to last. A very influential Irish member of Parliament has given us notice that he and his political associates are determined, as soon as wo get Home Rule, to recast the whole system of Irish education in all its branches from top to bottom. Ido not like to introduce politics into the serene air of a convent, and I feel very deeply the obligation that rests on everyone to say or do nothing at the present time which might embarrass Mr. Redmond in the great task which he is prosecuting with such conspicuous ability and statesmanship. But this is not a merely political question. This touches religion in its most vital part, and if we now in face of the warning or threat which has been spoken were to sit by in silence we might find our forbearance or our cowardice mistaken for acquiescence. PROTESTANT HOME RULERS. The progress which is being made by the Home Rule cause had another illustration in a meeting in promotion of it which was held in Dublin (says the Freeman’s Journal). It was a meeting of Irish Protestants. It is a regrettable necessity which at present suggests the identification of any body of Irish Nationalists by a reference to their religion. But while the foes of Home Rule seek to represent it as something which spells oppression to Protestants, so long will it be incumbent upon the Irish Protestant adherents of the National movement to publicly proclaim their confidence in their Catholic fellow-countrymen under a

system of national self-government. The meeting was composed altogether of Irish Protestant Home Rulers. It was held in the Gresham Hotel, O'Connell street. The proceedings were conducted in private. Our representative was subsequently informed by some gentlemen who had taken part in them that the meeting was very representative, Protestants being present not only from Dublin and the province of Leinster, but from the other provinces of Ireland as well, and that the Irish Protestant Church, the medical profession, the profession of the law, public bodies, the merchants and landlords of the country, deputy-lieutenants, and justices of the peace were represented. Three members of the Executive of the Irish Protestant Home Rule Committee from London were present Henry de Montmorency, of the Naval and Military Club, Hon. Treasurer of the Home Rule Committee; Mr. Osborne O'Reilly, Hon. Secretary of the Committee, and Mr. Herbert Z. Deane. ALLEGED PROSPERITY OF ULSTER. Great capital is continually being made by the opponents of Home Rule of the alleged fact that Ulster is the most prosperous province of Ireland, and that there will be nothing to tax if she stands out of the Irish Parliament. This fiction was exposed in a reply to a question addressed by Mr. Michael Flavin, the representative of North Kerry, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. When the particulars appeared in the printed official papers, many English members were disposed towards incredulity; and one gentleman personally approached Mr. Lloyd George, only to receive assurance that the information was absolutely correct. Taking the figures given in the reply, it is evident—(l) That the income tax paid per head of the population's in Dublin £1 3s Bd, in Cork lis Id, in Belfast 10s 7d, in Limerick 7s sd, and in Derry 6s Id. (2) That the gross assessment per head of the population is in Dublin £36 8s 9d, in Cork £l7 0s 3d, in Belfast £l6 7s 7d, in Limerick £ll 7s Id, and in Derry £9 7s sd. The full details had already been given in a series of articles in the Dublin Leader by Mr. Galloway Rigg, who has conclusively proved that Ulster, with a larger population, is behind Leinster in wealth, and that the large figure it cuts in the Customs is merely due to its being an importing centre for the rest of Ireland, which pays most of the duty. THE CASTLE ROBBERY. During the week before Christmas the Daily News and the Daily Telegraph published remarkable stories regarding the robbery of the Crown Jewels and Insignia from Dublin Castle in July, 1907. Both stories were contradicted by the Chief Secretary for Ireland in his place in the House of Commons. The missing regalia comprised the diamond star of the Grand Master of the Order of St. Patrick, worth nearly £50,000, the diamond badge of the same Order (£16,000), and five collars of Knights Companions of the Order, worth roughly £IOOO each. The theft, or rather the 'abstraction,' took place on or about the night of July 5, 1907—a most leisurely business, showing clearly enough that the safe in the strong room had been opened with a key and with no fear of disturbance after the strong room had been similarly entered. There was enough booty m the strong room alone at the command of the most exacting Raffles or Lupin in real life, and yet none of this had been touched. The jewels, and the jewels alone, had been removed. No arrests were ever made, and it is very highly probable that no arrests ever will be made in connection with the ' robbery.' v, , ' THE LATE ARCHBISHOP CROKE. The Secretary of the Central Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association stated at a meeting of that body that the Council had £250 lodged to their credit towards the cost of a suitable memorial to the late Most Rev. Dr. ■ Croke, who was one of the first patrons of the Association. The Munster and Leinster Councils have each promised to contribute £25 towards the fund; and six counties— Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Wexford, and Kilkenny—have been invited to participate in a tournament with a view to raising more money for the project.