The Ashburton Guardian. Manga Est Veritas et Prevalebit WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1886. The Dynamite Party.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1277, 30 June 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Manga Est Veritas et Prevalebit WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1886. The Dynamite Party.

A recent issue of the London Times contains an interesting narr t on of facts and details in connection with the Dynamite Party, from which it appears that a good deal more is ascertainable about the proceedings of the secret conspirators than they commonly be lieve, and that those desperate enterprises, which have startled the world during the past 2 or 3 years, are at least as dangerous to those who undertake them as to those against whom they are directed. The Times vouches for the accuracy of its statements, and asserts that the Party is in existence at this moment, and that its activity may break out again if events seem to demand or favor it. But there is something reassuring, adds our contemporaiy, in the demonstration that the criminals who act—whatever may be the case with those who merely plot— do not work with impunity ; that some five-and-twenty are in penal servitude, and that two, literally hoist with their own petard, lie dead at the bottom of the Thames. We may state here, that a cot respondent of the Times subsequenily wrote to that journal pointing out that 32, not 25 dynamiters, had been convicted and sentenced. The attempt made on December 13, ISS4, to destroy London Bridge will still be fresh in the memories of our readers. The shock was tremendous, but the bridge was scarcely injured. Investigations were made, and many explanations were suggested, but the police were unable to discover the authors of the attempt, and it was generally supposed that the miscreants who perpetrated the outrage were still at large. Now, however, it appears practically certain that the attack upon the bridge was made by two members of the Dynamite Party, and that they, with the boat they employed for their purpose, were blown to pieces by the

explosion, lliat the mutilated bodies sank to the bottom, and that the fragments of the boat —it being a strong ebb tide at the time—floated here and there, and were lost among the shipping. This theory has been confirmed in every particular, and one of the Feni?n organisations in America is now paying a pension to the widow of one of the ill-fated criminals. Referring to the American Fenian organisations, the Times says that O’Donovan Rossa is now discredited, and his party powerless. It is not so with the other, and much more serious, organisation called the Clan-na-Gael. The branches of this oiganisation extend over the whole of the Uuited States; it has resources, determination, and the power of acting with extraordinary secrecy. This is what the Times has to say in reference to the Clan-na-Gael and its active operations in Great Britain “It is beyond all question that this society has been at the bottom of all the explosions that have been caused or attempted since the spi; ig of 1883, the men concerned in which may be divided into three groups. The first consisted of Gallagher, Whitehead, Curtin, and Wilson, the heroes of the well-remembered Birmingham dynamite case, all of whom were convicted at the Central Criminal Court on May 28, 1883, and sentenced to penal servitude for life. The second group included John Daly and J. F. Egan, who were tried at Warwick in July, 18S4, and who received, the one a lifesentence, and the other a sentence of 20 years, Daly’s case, though the public was scarcely so much interested in it as in those of some others among the conspirators, wa,<* really the most serious of any; for the man himself was a desperado of the most unflinching type, and the task that he had in hand was nothing less than the wholesale murder of the most eminent men in the country. His antecedents were of the usual kind—that is to say, he had been engaged in the iceman rising of 1867, and liter had lived for some years in New York in the company of John Devoy and John Breslin, the trustees of the " Skirmishing Fund.” ,-\t one time he had a fierce quarrel with Rossa, which almost led to a duel, and at another it is believed that he was told off to murder J antes Carey, the Phoenix Park informer. Finding that task taken out of his hands by O’Donnell (who acted on his own impulse, and was not commissioned by any society), Daly set himself to imagine a plan which should bring him more fame than the killing of Carey could have done ; and the plan was nothing less than the murder of the Ministers and chiefs of the Opposition by throwing a dynamite bomb on to the table of the House of Commons from the Strangers’Gallery. Into the details

of this diabolical plot we need not enter. It is enough to say that Daly was arrested at Chester Railway Station in April, 1884, with three well-made brass bombs on his person; that a bottle full of nitro-glycerine was found in the garden of his house at Birmingham ; and that enough documentary evidence was forthcoming to leave no doubt as to the purpose for which he intended the bombs. One of them was afterwards experimentally exploded, with a result almost too ghastly to describe.”

The publication of these facts has already startled the organisers of these foul crimes, and we trust it may do something to arrest the progress of the desperate conspiracy against the peace and the welfare of Great Britain, which has of late years been proceeding among the American Irish.

Land Nationalisation. d It would be a fortunate thing for Christianity if every Minister of the Gospel followed the excellent example set them by the Rev Mr McNicol) and devoted some oi their time and some of theirabilitity to the search for a practical solution of the social and political difficulties which disturb and retard the civilisation and happiness of the community. We can see no good reason why the gentlemen entrusted with our spiritual welfare should affect to disregard the facts and influences which are intimately associated with our material progress ; indeed, we think it highly desirable that practical religion should go hand in hand with practical politics and practical social reform. The lecture delivered by Mr Me Nico in the Orange Hall last evening was a conscientious effort to throw light upon' an important and much vexed question and, while we dissent very widely from some of the opinions expressed by the : lecturer, we must admit the effort was marked by a liberal conception and able treatment of the subject. The matter of the lecture is reported at

some length in another part of this issue, and we need not at present discuss the arguments employed by Mr McNicoll in support of his contentions, but we may point out that the real difficulty involved, the acquisition ot the land by the State, was not satisfactorily treated. A very large number, we think a majority, of political economists admit that substantial benefits would follow from the nationalisation of the land, but, however desirable this end may be, the means suggested, confiscation, is simply monstrous. The proposal to make the land, assessed at its unimproved value, bear the whole of the taxation of the country, suggests confiscation in its very worst form and is hardly worthy of a moments consideration. If serious by and intelligently considered it can only be condemned in the n 05t emphatic and uncompromising manner. The land is already taxed far and away beyond its power to bear, and the imposition of further burdens could only increase the difficulties which Mr McNicoll and his fellow workers are striving so earnestly to remove. If confiscation be determined upon, let it be.undertaken without disguise, declare an open season for shooting landlords and land owners and appropriate their estates for the benefit of the landless community.

Edward Flux, residing in Wingfield street Wellington, aUetn t t d to shoot his wife lasi night, but missed her.

A shooting affray has occurred in Jones’ Hotel at Grey town, a man named W. M. Summers, of Featherston, being seriously wounded by a revolver tired by a well-known criminal named James Martin alin-i W. J, Simmonds. The latter is just out of gaol after doing twelve months. Martin has beer, arrested. The hot springs at Big Wanganui Kivcr, forty-live miles south of Hokitika, have risen to boiling Point, and have greatly increased in number. At a largely attended meeting held at Dunedin last evening, resolutions were carried favorable to Home Kule for Ireland. It was resolved to despatch a cable message em bodying the resolutions to Mr Gladstone. The application for an extradition warrant at the Auckland Police Court, before Mr H. G. Smith, K.M., on a charge of murder

against the captain and two mates of the Petrel was resumed yesterday and lasted all day. The evidence of the crew was taken, and the case remanded till to-day. The Selwyn County Council (has adopted the following resolution :—“ That a premium of £lO be offered for the best essay on the suppression of the small ybirds nuisance, and a premium of £J for the second best, and that the Finance Committee be empowered to make conditions and call for essays.” The committee of the Christchurch branch of the St. John’s Ambulance Association, at a meeting yesterday afternoon decided to present a cross to Mr Mcßae of VVairoa in reooni. tion of his gallantry during the late volcanic eruptions in the hot springs district.

The balance sheet of the Union Insurance Company shows a balance of £18,617 9s 4d, of which amount the directors recommend that £IO,OOO bo devoted to paying the usual dividend of 10 per cent, leaving £B6l 9s 4d to be carried forward to next year. The report states that the business has been con. siderably pruned at various quarters, and though such action reduces the premium income, it is likely to add to future profits. The San Francisco mail arrived at Ashburton by special train last evening. The interment of the corpse of a late member of the Salvation Army took place at the Ashburton Cemetery yesterday. The hearse, preceded by the band, and followed by members of the Army and friends of the deceased, left the barracks about three o’clock in the afternoon and proceeded to the cemetery, the band playing hymns at intervals. The burial service at the mortuary chapel and at the grave side was conducted by the Rev D. MoNicoll, and at its conclusion prayers were offered and hymns sung by the members of the Army, The whole proceedings were of a most solemn and impressive nature. The Ashburton hounds met at Rakaia yesterday. The weather was all that could be desired, and a capital afternoon’s sport was enjoyed by those present. Hares were rather two numerous but several good runs, and two kills, were obtained. Among those out were Mrs A. J. Reid (on Patience), and Messrs Upton, Reid, G. Merewether, Bowyer, Alington, Helmore, Hart, Worner, Russell, and several strangers.

The North Canterbury Education! Board has altered the boundaries of the Willowby and Winslow school districts so as to make the latter district include rural section 13,638, which has hitherto formed part of the Willowby district.

The London " War Cry ” received by the | last Sau Franoisoo mail contains an official l denial to the rumor that a split has occurred in the Salvation Army. It appears some officers of the Army were dismissed for cer. tain irregularities, and these persons have entered upon a public and systematic denunciation of such of the Army's! practices as they disapprove of. The attack is not likely to materially lessen, the influence of the organisation.

A Wellington paper says:—We are much pleased at being enabled to state positively that the Government do not intend to submit to Parliament any proposal for a reduetion in the number |ol the representatives of the people. A Bill dealing with the redistribution question has, however, _ been prepared, and it is, we believe, the intention of the Premier to introduce it, if possible, this session, leaving it to the House to say whether it shall be proceeded with or held over until next session. The Government are quite willing to proceed with it, however, if the House shows itself really desirous.