SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN IRELAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1399, 5 November 1886, Page 3

SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN IRELAND.

Mr Take, who visited the West of Ire land to distribute the seed potato fund, in his report says :—“ In this, mv eighth visit during recent years to the West of Ireland, 1 have again been profoundly impressed with the condition of chronic misery, the destitution of the small holders of land. The fact that the small holdings of worn-out land omno f support the c owded population is no 1 nger a debateble quest in. It is j übJ pimonsly borne witness to; From prit-s , or landlord, or tenant there Is but one response :— ‘ Without other nmana °f earning money {bore is no possibility of living opt of the laud.' 1 The living isn’r In it, rent or no rent, yer honor !’ And can It be otherwise 1 Consider Achill, with its thousand families, of whom time) fourths are living on holdings so email that rental or valuation does not exceed SOs a year each—and few of the remainder exceed £4 a year 1 Take another instance in Connemara, of 1000 families attempting to live on 1700 fores of arable bog land, mere patches cf soil lying among great bouldera.,’ Mr Toko though he believes in judicious emigration, thinks more mb ht be <’ods for the people by pu ting the fisheries on abetter footing.