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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1153, 21 September 1882, Page 2

The Marquis of Blandford, who is heir to the dukedom of Marlborough, contributes a valuable letter to the “Pall Mall” on the subject of Irish agragrian outrages. A few days ago Lord George Hamilton wrote to the “ Timess” with the object of shewing that by the Parliamentary returns it was proved Ireland had, of late years, shown a decided increase in its criminal records. This conclusion Lord Blandford now shows to be totally erroneous. He has been apparently at some pains poring over the criminal statistics of the country, and publishes a tabular statement as to the I'esult of his researches, from which it may be seen that since 1845 the total number of crimes committed In Ireland has greatly decreased. There has been a slight increase in offences of an agrarian character, but having regard to the manner ih which the agrarian returns are compiled, it i« fair to suppose that even this is more apparent than real. As far as ordinary crime is concerned, Ireland bears favorable comparison with any country iu the world. Writing on this subject tho “Pall Mall Gazette ” says “So far as the suppression of outrages is concerned, we have held steadfastly to our opinion—that the failure lies with the bureaucracy of Dublin Castle. It is notoriously red-tapeism, barren of expedients, inveterately centralised, and jealous of its authority. There could not be a body less fitted to cope with the shifting dance of agrarian confusion.—Dublin “Freeman.”