IRISH AFFAIRS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 27 July 1907, Page 4

IRISH AFFAIRS.

The Galway cases

London, July 24

The Judge granted the SolicitorGeneral’s application to change the venue of the trial of sixtyseven drivers of cattle, on the ground that a fair trial in Galway was impossible. [The “ driving ” referred to in the above cablegram is the forcible removal of cattle from grass lands let to stock dealers and graziers under what is known as the ‘‘ eleven months system. ’ ’ Driving cattle and other stock off such holdings is one of the latest developments of the agrarian agitation in Ireland, and is resorted to for the purpose of compelling the holders of these grass lands —which are the choicest and most fertile ot ancient pasturage — to surrender their tenancies so that the farms may be let as yearly tenancies to the large population subsisting on the produce of inferior laud in the same locality—in other words, to .ensure the cutting up and close settlement ot grazing runs. Granting a change of venue in trials arising out of political or agrarian troubles is quite a common occurrence in Ireland, and is usually invoked by the Crown where local prejudice is likely to influence juries favourably towards traversers.