THE STATE OF IRELAND.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2394, 18 November 1880, Page 3

THE STATE OF IRELAND.

The state of Ireland is still a source of much anxiety. Agrarian outrages ai-e daily becoming more common, men arc shot down in open daylight, aud the landlords is generally denounced by the Home rule faction, who know they have a little time upon their hands, are stumping the country, getting up land meetings. While the Land Commission appointed by the Government is busy taking evidence on the state of the country, with the view to promote remedial measures, Air Parnell and his friends arc contending that this commission was appointed to “ whittle down the demands of the Irish tenantry.” Instead of giving the commission a cordial. support tlic Home Rulers arc condemning it, because they sec that the application of remedial measures would be a deathblow to their certainly over-heated and dangerous oratory.' There can be no doubt that the Government is anxious to see Ireland thriving and contented, and it is to be hoped that when next session it lakes in band the settlement of the Irish land question, Irish landlords and Irish tenants will he found aiding it in an endeavor to rectify the working of a system which has been frequently denounced by men of all political parties. The question of absenteeism and the reclamation of waste lands open up a wide field. _ In any case, absenteeism is a recognised and crying grievance, and one that cannot be disregarded, so that it is the duty of any Government that contenqfiates a change in the system of land tenure in Ireland to make an attempt to deal with it. As regards the amouqt of waste lands, there are those who have always believed that their rcclauuilton was both feasible and desirable, though it was hardly 2>ossiblc for individual landlords to move in the matter. It is not beyond the skill of engineers and agriculturists to drain the bogs, embank the rivers, and and replant the forests with which Ireland was once covered, and which were ruthlessly cut down. A work of this character could only he successfully undertaken on a large and comprehensive scale, aud is one which might well occupy the attention of any Government. Thousands of willing anS capable labourers could be obtained on the spot, and the cost even if it exceeded that of one of our little wars, would be well worth incurring, as by this means Ireland would he made more prosperous, and therefore more contented.