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New Zealand Tablet, 11 October 1917, Page 5

All this time the British' Parliament was voting millions to enlarge English dockyards, to strengthen English fortifications, t to beautify English parks and museums, and to make faster her iron grip upon her “dear sister island.” s - ; When we complained of the apathy of the English Government about an Irish famine, we got an Arms Bill. When we complained of the ruined state of our trade, war ships were sent into our ports with arms and, ammunition. When we said we were starving, give us employment, powder mills and fortifications were set to work. In 1827, after the defeat of the Catholic question, five millions of bullets were ordered to Ireland to quieten her; some one then wrote “ I have found out a gift for my Erin, A gift that will surely content her, Sweet pledge of a love so endearing! Five millions of bullets I’ve sent her.” England seems to have great confidence in this, her favorite panacea, for all our ills even yet; so she is very fond of repeating the dose. < Local committees were appointed throughout the country for the management and distribution of public money —grants, rates, and the like. Useless 'public works were fast setting in. Of course Lord Clearall was the manager of one of these committees. Mr. Ellis had a grist-mill near the village. There was a small private house adjoining; in this the committee held their deliberations. Lord Clearall was in the chair. Several of the neighboring gentry and respectable ratepayers were also present.“I have,” said his lordship, “got about a thousand pounds, which we are to spend on some public work, such as levelling a hill, or filling up a hollow, or the like; now, this will give a great deal of employment, and I hope it’s only the forerunner of more. We have now to select what work we will commence at —our selections, of course, to be approved of by the Board of Works; but this is a mere matter of form, as one of the commissioners is my particular friend.” “I think, my lord, there is no work more necessary than to level Knockcorrig hill; it is almost impassable it is so steep, and it is a regular thoroughfare to the village.”