PROFESSOR BLACKIE ON THE LAND QUESTION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2484, 7 March 1881, Page 4

PROFESSOR BLACKIE ON THE LAND QUESTION.

The well-known Scotch patriot, Professor Plackie, made an excellent speech on the land question at the annual meeting of the Federation of Celtic Societies, held in Glasgow on Tuesday, Jan. <L. In some of his observations the learned professor came quite up to the mark of many of the pronouncements at present being submitted to a Dublin jury. [Referring to the Irish question he asked, “Donot the Irish landlords suck the blood of Ireland and spend it abroad ? Are we entitled to nourish a class of fellows who do nothing but suck our blood ?” These forcible queries were hailed with loud applause b3 r a large assemblage having an M.P. in the chair, and another M.P. one of the speakers at a later stage of the business. Commenting on the land laws generally, the professor said “ they could not possibly have been otherwise than one-sided and selfish, because they were not made as laws ought to be —to protect the weak against the strong —but to make the strong, being few, stronger, and to enable the few to govern the community for their own selfish interests, and not for the good of the community.” The tyrannical conduct of landlords and their agents in the Highlands was described and denounced by the professor, and a resolution embodying his views on the subject was unanimously agreed to. Dr Cameron and Mr Fraser Macintosh, M.P.’s also spoke, and declared that the land laws of the country required radical reform. It was announced that an apology for absence had been received from Mr A. M. Sullivan M.P., who had an invitation to attend the meeting.