Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 2 November 1916, Page 39

Irish News

GENERAL. The death occurred in Dublin early in September of Father Peter Ward, 0.C.C., one of Dublin’s oldest Carmelites. He was 89. Private T. Regan, of the H.L.1., who was lately decorated with the D.C.M., by General French, during an inspection of the troops held at Haddington, is a native of Westmeath. He is a tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested man, and is a splendid type of the Irish soldier evoked by this war. A remarkable case of longevity is reported from Westmeath, where a farmer’s wife named Anne Beatty has just died at the age of 108 years. Deceased, who superintended farming operations up to a week before her death, was stated to have never had a day’s illness, and was an inveterate tea drinker. She had a marvellous memory, never wore glasses, snd up to a short time since could read large type newspapers. This is the third death of a centenarian occurring in the country in a few months. ' Captain W. A. Redmond, M.P., the son of the Irish leader, who was an officer till lately on active service at the front, was when the last mail left Home, in hospital in London. It is stated that while on his way to the trenches he missed his footing and fell into a communication trench, dislocating his shoulder, breaking his collar-bone, and injuring his ankle. Captain Redmond was in the thick of the fighting during the ‘ Big Push,’ but escaped all injury. It was expected he would be laid up for some weeks. A serious fire in Derry on September 3 almost completely ruined the extensive distillery of David Watt and Co. lnflammable vapour within the premises got ignited, and a tremendous explosion wrecked the building, a falling wall killing a passer-by named Henry Burns. The fire brigade, assisted by the night workers, heroically fought the flames, and, later, the police and a detachment of the Inniskillings helped in the struggle. The warehouses and vats, where millions of gallons of spirits are stored, were saved, but the damage amounts to £IOO,OOO. Political opinion in Ireland is steadying once more in support of the Irish Party. Mr. Scanlan, M.P., addressed a meeting of the North Sligo Executive of the U.I.L. in the Town Hall, Sligo, the other day, when a resolution was carried expressing confidence in the leadership of Mr. Redmond and the Irish Party, Mr. W. G. Fallon, 8.A., was the principal speaker at a meeting of the South Monaghan Executive of the U.I.L. at which similar resolutions were carried. Mr. Doris, M.P., addressing a meeting of his constituents in West Mayo, had accorded a similar vote of confidence. Mr. T. P. O’Connor, M.P., is signatory to the annual report of the U.I.L. of Great Britain, lately issued. Receipts for the year have diminished to £2664 (which figure includes £513 14s 4d for ‘soldiers’ comforts fund’), the returns from membership cards being only £929. ‘ Cards (the report remarks) are the real test of membership.’ Scotland’s contributions to the total income were something like £760 (including about £3O to Soldiers’ Comforts’ Fund) and the ‘ salary and expenses’ outlay against that (for Scotland) is given at £285 3s 7d—something over 37 per cent of the income. The Graphic, pursuing its suggestion that Queen Alexandra as Vicereine might settle the Irish problem, publishes an article from Mr. Edward Legge, who recalls that the late King Edward, when Prince of Wales, was quite willing to go to Ireland as Viceroy, but that Queen Victoria vetoed the proposal. A deputation of members of Parliament in 1889 actually presented to Lord Salisbury a memorial asking for the abolition of the Lord Lieutenancy and the establishment of a Royal residence in Ireland. The Premier of that

day, though, did not favor the idea, and it was dropped., \.. ' •'V ‘ _ 1 ‘ ■■■■.■■> '.I- ---■ : ■ - THE CHURCH OF IRELAND.’ £ For a wonder (says Mr. J. F. Hogan, writing from London to the Melbourne Advocate in August), there is no Australian Church of England prelate in London just now circulating his hat and collecting the coppers charitably chuckeq into it by the kind-hearted Cockneys. That may be the reason why the Protestant Bishop of Tuam, in the West of Ireland, the centre of ‘ Souperism,’ has appeared on the scene with an urgent appeal for help. This prelate has a. band of young ladies in London constantly collecting for his ‘ Sustentation Fund.’ Without the money thus obtained, he says it would have been ‘ impossible to maintain the ministry in many of the poor parishes in this far-off and sparselypopulated corner of Ireland.’ That is a nice public confession from the prelate of a body that arrogantly and insolently calls itself the Church of Ireland,’’in spite of the fact that its adherents are only a miserable minority of the people of Ireland. Although it possesses many of the ill-gotten goods, temples, and endowments of the real old Catholic Church of Ireland it is not ashamed to sponge on London charity' for the support of its poor parishes. In extenuation of his abject appeal for London help, the Protestant Bishop of Tuam pleads the ‘ sparseness and poverty of the congregations, the gradual extinction of the country gentry, the despair and despondency at seeing so many of the best of the young people * emigrating to the colonies, and the constant pressure of the Roman Catholic Church.’ THE HOUSING QUESTION IN DUBLIN. The women who met at the Dublin Mansion House to consider the question of reducing the death-rate amongst children in the city could not have discussed a subject of greater importance to the citizens of the Irish capital. In statistics relating to infant mortality Dublin holds a high place. Sir Andrew Horne stated that returns show that in the year 1914 one hundred and forty-three babies out of every thousand born there died before they completed the first year of life, whilst in County Roscommon the mortality was only 37.7. The high mortality amongst the young in Dublin is, no doubt, due to a variety of causes. Dr. McWeeney’s suggestion that arrangements should be made for a municipal dairy farm, with milk depots in different parts of the city to ensure supplies of good milk to working-class mothers, is well deserving of consideration (says the Catholic Times). A movement for the better instruction of mothers regarding the feeding of their children would also tend to bring about an improvement. But we fear there is only too much ground to justify Miss Harrison’s remark that, any reduction in infant mortality is improbable whilst the housing question remains unsolved. The friends of the workers should therefore be on the alert and see that, if at all possible, improved housing accommodation for the toilers and the poor is a feature of the scheme of reconstruction which is to be carried out in the city. MR. HUGHES AND IRELAND. The following telegrams appeared in the Sydney Daily Telegraph of dates October 17 and 18: Melbourne, Monday.-—The Prime Minister stated to-night that he was pleased to learn that there was a probability of the British'Government shortly abolishing martial law in Ireland. , He had made representation to the British Government some time ago on the matter, pointing out that the Irish question had Imperial aspects, and that these must not be lost sight of. lie had also put the view that the continuance of martial law in Ireland was calculated to prejudice Imperial interests, and urged that it should be withdrawn. He was now very glad to hear that there was a proposal to withdraw it. , , f Melbourne, Tuesday.—The Minister for External Affairs (Mr. Mahon) has.received telegrams and numer-

ous messages of inquiry concerning the accuracy of the rumor, that Ireland was to be released from martial law. He stated to-day that he had informed his correspondents that he had no information on the subject beyond that conveyed in what purported to be a cable message from London, published in an evening paper on Monday. He doubted whether the message could be accepted as reliable. e.'Jt. ________