Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 4 November 1915, Page 41

Irish News

GENERAL..

A remarkable story of an industrial undertaking, which started on a capital of .£IOO in 1904, whose present paid-up capital is only £l3l, and which for the past half-year had a turnover of £7300, was related by Mr. T. Liston, solicitor, chairman, at a meeting of the Rathkeale Co-operative Poultry Society, Limited. The chairman remarked that at the end of last year they had a turnover of £IO,OOO, and they expected by the end of 1915 to have a turnover of something like £15,000.

Interesting totals are given in a return published as a White Paper, giving details of the operations under the Laborers’ Cottages (Ireland) Act up to the end of March. In the whole country the valuation of the rural districts is placed at £11,349,928. The number of cottages that have been built is 45,592, and the number in course of construction 1693. The amount sanctioned in loans is £8,907,993, and the amount received has been £8,064,886. The amount required to be raised annually in repayment of loans sanctioned is £315,469, whilst the amount that would be raised by the maximum rate of Is in the £ allowed for the purposes of the Act is £569,496.

IRISH MUNITION WORKERS.

On September 1 a visit to Kynoch’s works at Arklow, County Wicklow, was paid by Mr. John Redmond, who was accompanied by his sou, Captain William Archer Redmond. The processes of the manufacture of guncotton, the chemical works where the acid processes are carried out, and the explosive works where mining explosives and cordite are produced, were explained to the visitors. Mr. Redmond expressed himself pleased at the great developments which were evident and the interest shown by the workpeople,. in all directions. He did not make a public speech to the work-people, as this would have meant the stoppage of various plants, but to individual workmen he expressed the pleasure he felt in finding an Irish factory undertaking munitions work on such an extensive scale. Mr. Redmond pointed out that both the workers in the factory and those engaged in its protection were rendering as great service to the nation as those who are fighting.

A SWINFORD HERO.

Private John Henry, of the Irish Guards, who has been awarded the D.C.M., is a native of Swinford, Co. Mayo. Private John Henry was born at Cuilmore, Swinford, and is 27 years of age. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous bravery on the battlefield under the following circumstances:—The British had exploded a mine within ten yards of the enemy’s trenches, and Private Henry immediately rushed out from his own trench, accompanied by Corpl. Sweeney and Private Dempsey (all Irishmen), and took possession of the crater made by the explosion ; while the Engineers hastily dug a trench around it. Private Henry also proceeded on the occasion in putting a German machine gun out of action, thus saving the lives of a number of his comrades. After emerging from his trench he was wounded in two places by a German sniper, but he continued to throw bombs at the enemy for an hour and a half after being wounded, and it is stated that the number of Germans killed by him during the action reached the astonishing total of 17. He was afterwards removed to hospital, where he has since remained under treatment, but he is getting on very well, and in some letters to his mother he writes in a tone of cheerful optimism regarding his hop© to return to the fighting line, and to be in the ranks of the Irish Guards when the troops of the Allies are marching in triumph into Berlin.’ Two other Swinford men, Sergeant Michael O’Hara and Private James Gallagher, both of the Connaught Rangers,

have been killed in action while the casualty lists also contain the names of a large number of Swinford men who have been wounded.

CROP AND STOCK RETURNS.

Expectation will be disappointed in the crop returns from England (says the Freeman’s Journal). There is a decrease in tillage and there is a decrease in grass. The returns which have just been issued by the Board of Agriculture for England show that in 1915 no less than 61,000 acres have been allowed to go out of cultivation. The area under tillage is reduced by 33,000 acres; the area under grass by 28,000 acres. The Irish returns are in marked contrast with the English returns. In this country there is this year a net increase in the area under tillage of 92,000 acres, as compared with a decrease of 33,000 acres in England. There is a net increase in this country of 79,000 acres under cereals. The wheat area has increased by 134 per cent., as compared with a 20 per cent, increase in England. The increase in the breadth of land under oats is 7 per cent, in England and 6 per cent, in Ireland. In England the increase in wheat and oats is at the expense of barley, which has shrunk by 18 percent., the area under this cereal being now the lowest on record. It is curious that whilst in Ireland there' is a so much greater relative increase in the area under wheat and oats th« area under barley should be reduced by 17j per cent.—nearly the same proportion as that in England. The area devoted to potatoes in Ireland has increased by 11,000 acres to 600,000 acres; the increase in the tubers in England is only 1760 to 463,000 acres.

VICE-REGAL VISIT TO THE SOUTH.

Lord Dunraven, the Lord Lieutenant’s host during his recent visit to the South, has received the following letter from his Excellency:

' Dear Lord Dunraven,Before leaving Adare I must write and express ray gratitude to you for having so kindly lent us your beautiful home in Co, Limerick. Apart from the opportunity which residence here has afforded of feeling the charm and historic interest of the province of Munster, and of viewing the fine scenery of Clare and Kerry, I have been able to appreciate the fertility of the land of Cork and this county, to estimate the commercial and business importance of their respective capital and to not© the growing prosperity and content of the community as a whole. What I shall remember with peculiar pleasure is the cordial Irish welcome I have received from all classes and professions wherever I have been, and the very friendly relations which have come into existence between us. I note, too, with , special satisfaction the steadfast loyalty to the Imperial cause, of which the numerous addresses I have received from local Boards and public bodies afford ample evidence, and the determination to persevere in the face of those inevitable sacrifices to which the devotion of Irish regiments at the front daily testifies. To the support of these gallant men all Irishmen who are physically fit, and especially the sturdy National Volunteers, some of whom I have been able to inspect, will; I hope, still further contribute. Recognising, as I do, that national ideals are not less dear than formerly to many hearts, I cannot but be impressed with the unstinted precedence accorded to the wider and graver issues with which, we are now confronted, which is no less characteristic of this province than of the whole of Ireland, as well as with the quiet confidence that in performing her paramount duty Ireland will assuredly add to her domestic happiness and national renown.’

A TIPPERARY V.C.

Sergt. Somers, Ist Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers, who has been awarded the V.C, for his splendid work with hand grenades in holding a trench - against the Turks at the Dardanelles, arrived in Cloughjordan. on the evening of August 28, on a brief visit to his

Somers is only 21 years of age. : At the; station he was met by an immense concourse of people from Nenagh and district, amongst whom were Lord Dunalley, H.M.L.; Capt. Lefroy, Capt. Whitfield, and Mr. B. B. Trench. A procession was formed, headed by the Clough jor dan Volunteer Brass Band. : A public meeting was held, which was presided oyer by Lord Dunalley, who read an address of welcome. Capt. Lefroy said he hoped more in the town and district would try and attain the same distinction. Mr. B. B. Trench said they were all proud of Sergeant Somers. This was the first Victoria Cross which had come to Tipperary, and he hoped it would not be the last. Rev, Father Bourke congratulated Sergeant Somers and his parents. Mr. Trench presented the hero with a cheque for 50 guineas as a mark of his personal esteem. Mr. Trench said arrangements were being made to hold a monster demonstration towards the end of the week, either in Clough Jordan or Nenagh, Most likely it would be in the latter town, which had sent hundreds of men to the colors out of a population of 5000.

BISHOP O’DONNELL ON THE HOME RULE ACT.

The Bishop of Raphoe, replying to a correspondent who had expressed the opinion that the Home Ruie Act was little better than the existing Town and County Council Acts, says:—Any disposition to belittle the Act or the Party is out of place. Considering the difficulties, it was a wonder the Bill got through at all. He had been told since the dreadful war began that a happy change had come over the Conservative opponents of Irish nationality, but to this day despatches from the front wasted no breath in trumpeting home praises of Irish valor. it would have been well for Ireland and well for England if the Home Rule Act had been in operation before the war, for the response to Mr. Redmond’s appeal for recruits would have been far more hearty, and Ireland could put her case much more effectively when the load of war taxation was being adjusted. The prospect of wider taxation powers for the Irish Parliament was now no longer remote, but the existing restrictions were not a serious impediment to the work of the Irish Parliament. At the same time the Act was a great measure. It gave Ireland as the finest fruit of the national movement in our day, the best constitution ever recognised by England since the English connection began.