IRISH AFFAIRS. Doplorable Condition of the Population.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 191, 12 February 1887, Page 2

IRISH AFFAIRS. Doplorable Condition of the Population.

A leading English journalist, who recently returned from a tour through Ireland, states, according to a despatch of January 3rd, that over wide areas in the west and south he found the population in a state of incredible privation. Thousands of men, women, and children in the remoter districts destitute of money, food, and clothing, were sunk in the deepest misery and dying' of starvation. The authorities are unable to cope with such widespread suffering, and are without mnn^y or supplies fnr the famishing. fifty-six men, arrested Ja 5 t August, At the time Father Fahey was taken into custody for resisting the collection of rents and evictions at the Clanricarde estate?, County Galway, were on January olh sentenced to imprisonment, ranging from 12 to IS months. The London " Standard " say* that Ghistone is prepared to modify his Home Kule Scheme, with a view to the conciliation of the dissident Liberals. According to the "Standard" he is willing to confine the powers of the proposed Irish Legietarive body to questions exclusively Irish, which may be delegated to it. A statement which Gladstone fully and positively denied the next day. The Moonlighters, on January 7th, at tacked and maltreated clerk Darrue, of the County Sessions Court, Cork. The clerk's injuries are serious. John Dillon has sued Inspectors O'Bnen and Daviß to recover £2,000 damages for malicious prosecution and assault, an I £1,000 damages for the seizure and retontion of moneys and documents in connection with the arre't of himself and others? at Loughrea, for receiving tenants' rents As an outcome of the prohibition of the Nationalist meeting, which was announced to be held at Roslea, January 10th, on the occasion of threatened wholesale evictions at that place, there was a collision between a crowd of about 4,000 persona who were waiting to receive Mr Dillon, and a force of I police and drafted village peapants, the latter of whom were armed with stick". The police used their batons freely, nnd succeeded in dispersing the crowd. Dillon, and the clergy who were present, while strongly protesting against the action of the police, persuaded the people to go home. The evictions were postponed. The Skinners Company, of London, has offered its Irish estates in Londonderry to tenants at prices aggregating eighteen years rental in each ca?e, and has proposed to settle with tenants for all arrears of rent at 30 per cent, reduction. O'Connor, presiding at a JJome Kule meeting, Bradford, January 6th, advocated fairness in carrying out tb© " plan of campaign," and advieed the appointment of a judge to act as a medium between landlord and tenant. Detailed Accounts have been received on the evictions at Glenbeig, County Kerry, on the estate of the Right Hon Rowland Winn, January 11th. The time chosen for ejectment was in the midst of a pitiless tempest of wind, enow, and rain, and after the unfortunate tenants were driven out, the bailiffs destroyed their cottages by fire, so that they could not return to them for shelter.