THE OUTLOOK IN IRELAND

New Zealand Tablet, 5 February 1914, Page 13

THE OUTLOOK IN IRELAND

FATHER HOLBROOK S IVIPRESSIONS

This morning (says the Wexford People of December 13) the Very Rev. H. F. Holbrook, Chancellor of Auckland, New Zealand, who has been on a visit to his mother and friends in Wexford, left the town on his return journey to the land under the Southern Cross. Father Holbrook ranks amongst the most popu-; lar of our young Wexford priests in distant lands. Following his ordination in St. Peter’s College, Wex- - ford, in 1902, he proceeded to the scene of his priestly labors in New Zealand, and during the years that have since elapsed his unceasing attention to the duties of his sacred calling in Auckland diocese raised him high in the esteem of the faithful .amongst whom he worked and was markedly recognised' by " his ecclesiastical superiors. He has been for a number of - years Administrator of the Cathedral parish in the city of Auckland, and. previous to his departure for the Old Country in January last he received notice of his elevation to the Chancellorship of the diocese. On his home-coming journey Father Holbrook visited t|ig~ s Holy Land, i ,assist ui & .1 Lourdes, Rome, and other important , places, on ~ the Continent, and during his sojourn lh this country he travelled to many parts of Ireland, and at all times expressed himself delighted with the improved condition of the people. His clerical friends, not only in Wexford, but throughout the diocese of Ferns, as well as his numerous acquaintances in this town, wish him hon voyage on his long journey to the Antipodes. The return route is via Dublin to Liverpool, where he will embark or v New York. After a three weeks’ stay int the United States Father Holbrook will sail from Ban Francisco, and expects to arrive in New Zealand about January 29 next.-- — 1 —-—~~~~ At Wexford station he was seen off by a large number of friends. f Seen by our tepresehtative prior tor his ’ departure, Father Holbrook said 'that he had a Very pleasant

... j; » .y. * sojourn in the Old Country, lie visited practically the T' whole country from Cork to Belfast, and from Vinegar 4 Hill to,Croaghpatrick. As far as ho. could see, every- X where -he' went the '^country,< in his opinion,' was mar- 1 . vellously improved within the last- ten years. One "has s| to admire, said the rev. gentleman, the improvement % in the housing conditions of the people, not alone * amongst the farming community, but amongst the farm tl laborers. Snug, comfortable, and well-kept laborers’ cottages are little 'gems on the landscape through the j length and- breadth of Ireland. - When it is considered that there are over 44,000 laborers’ cottages, housing - j| a quarter of a million people, this in itself must make t&Xk marked degree for the happiness and stability of % the country. Though'’ handicapped 'by a system of *4 government which does not commend itself to the Irish 4 people, much is being done for the home and village f| industries. In one place which I visited— Glengariff— C there are over forty girls engaged in a local lace factory. JS ~ They work r from ten , o’clock in .the morning until four . f ® o’clock in the afternoon. The instructress is paid s by * ' . the Congested Districts Board. . The girls work under ’ the best conditions, and receive full pay for the work fe they do. I consider the Congested Districts Board, is tt doing splendid !^di^i|in^|p| rti of Ireland in advancing £ : grants for buildings, improving holdings, and.providing seeds and stock for many people in congested areas. % I believe, however, that too much of the money of that f; Board is being wasted on high-salaried officials.' * The i? .increased facilities provided by the Agricultural De- Ij partment is adding much to the prosperity of the farming community. There are to-day in :i Troland over u: 100,000 farmers engaged in various new forms of ** agricultural effort, and it is officially stated that the « number will in a short time be doubled. Further ; ■ proof-of the stability of the country is that Ireland con- 1 *» tributed in local taxes beyond the Treasury contributions over £8,000,000 last year. Reading from time to time while I was in. New Zealand of the continued stream of emigration, I often , imagined that'when “came home I would see deserted villages in most parts H aypf Ireland;'' Fortunately % ? have not seen any I such H ~ • sights, but. evidences of prosperity. Ireland,.! believe,■■ has little to fear from the evils of emigration. There • is no country can stand the drain of emigration so well as Ireland, because the country is blessed with largefamilies, and it is a happiness to know that the Catholic Faith permeates both the national and private lives of the people. There is the assurance, too, that those who emigrate are fulfilling..the destinies of the Irish race, as ~. ... missionaries "of the Catholic faith in English-speaking lands. | The country is now on the dawn of a brighter 1 - era. There are, however, some people who may think that Home Rule is going to bring the millennium, but it is a mistake to think that the day after the Home Rule Bill passes there will be a new sun in the heavens and a new country under the feet of the Irish people. " After so many centuries of oppression;',..y ears;.": must ©lapse until the people realise their opportunities to the fullest extent. A native Parliament cannot do any more for a long time than to remedy many of the drawbacks in the present laws governing Ireland.,, It ; will educate the masses of the people to a r sense of their ' national responsibility. , The most representative and * t progressive men would, lie was sure, be returned to the jf Irish Parliament, and those would in time frame and pass laws which would.make Ireland take her rightful- 5 place among the nations. 1 - 4'-\ ***