IRELAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 7

IRELAND.

-,; : V MB. BIRHELI ON CATTIMYING. ; A, BREACH OF TRUCE. WILL ENDANGER ALL REFORMS. BI TKLEQBAPH— PKH3B ASSOOIATIOH—COrtRIQHT. ,:. (Roc. Nov. 13, 10.1 p.m.) • , London, November 13. ' Speaking at Southampton, tho Chiaf Secrotary for Ireland, Mr. Birrell, said tho Government was doing' its best to stop illegal conspiracy and cattle-driving in Ireland, which were a breach of tho truco that was. supposed' to follow the land purchase Bcheme. '.. . If these praotices were persisted in, they would, he said, endanger all his schemes of reform. .He blamed the apathy of the magistrates, and the graziers. ' , ■ ,- The above statement , "by tho Chief Secretary for Ireland'is verv important, in view of recent events and pending developments. Tho cattle-driving and boycotting started after the Nationalists rejected tho Liberal Devolution Bill, one of tho intentions boing to exact, by this form of intimidation, .better terms than tho Bill.provided. Sitting in Dublin last Juno, Mr, • Justico Ross. urged that cattle-driving . could easily be.onded if.tho Estates Commissioners withheld advances of money for land purchase in places where intimidation was practised. .The-Government has not, it seems, availed itself, of tliis advice to use tho land Surchase schemo as a lover, for suppressing isorder'by withdrawing its benofits; but early .- in- October,the Under-Secretary. to the Lord--Lieutenant of Ireland, Sir Antony Macdonnell, protested against' cattle-driving as hampering the Government's land-purchasing efforts, and said ,the .Government was bound to provent ■inpltomDntfl; to this offence. On the other hand, it has been stated on the Nationalist eide that some Ministers sympathise\ with v. cattle-driving ,and in September Mr. Ginnoll, ' Nationalist Member for Wcstnieath North, declared, that "some members of tho Government would be. glad to seo the cattle-drivers deal a death-blow at all landlordism'and ranching by. clearing- tho land." A Galway branch' of 4he- Irish National League had previously called on- certain 'graziers to' surrender, thoir lands r by : November, '•" before the people are . urged to take stronger, measures to.bring an odious class to its senses." The Chief Secretary's' speech would, therefore,' appear to be opportuno; ,it' may be taken as a disclaimer or statements like Mr. Ginnell's, and as supporting the -Under-Secretary's declaration that ■ this'form of intimidation is hampering landpurchase. With regard to his concluding re- . mark; Mr; Birrell told Parliament last session that the Government expected graziers to proi tect thoir own cattle, police protection being . only an adjunct.