INTERVIEW WITH THE VISITORS. A SUCCESSFUL MISSION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 417, 6 November 1889, Page 5

INTERVIEW WITH THE VISITORS. A SUCCESSFUL MISSION.

Last evening a Star reporter had a conversation with Mr Dillon, Mr Deasy and Sir Thos. Esmonde, on the objects of their mission to the colonies, and the measure of success with which they are meeting in their efforts to advance m a practical manner the cause of Home Rule and .local government for Ireland. In the course of bheinterviewthey stated that theyweremore than satisfied wit-li the results of fcheir visit to Austi-alia. The amount of money alreadj' subscribed for the funds for which they were travelling- was £26,000 in Australia, and they expect co bring the total up to £30,000 easily in Australia, exclusive of what they anticipate to raise in New Zealand. Mr "Deasy is to return to Australia to close the mission there for the party, and he has sanguine anticipations of bringing the total up to £30.000. When the delegates set out from Home on the trip to the Antipodes, they had no expectations of being able to collect more than about £20,000 for the cause, so that the result so far has greatly exceeded their anticipations. Their receptions in all parts of Australia by the populace had been of an exceedingly cordial character, and they were particularly impressed with the v popular demonstrations in Sydney on their recent visit there. The delegates said that, outside of the raising of funds for the furthering of the Home Rule cause ab Home, their visit to the colonies had already done very much good, in removing .many erroneous impressions prevailing amongst uolonials with regard to the movement. People in the colonies who were not in touch with the great currents of popular feeling in England and Scotland since Home Rule j became one of the chief platforms of the Liberal party could have no conception of the great change which had taken place with regard to the movement in favour of a fair government for Ireland. Especially was this change exemplified in Scotland, where Mr Parnell had lately been the recipient of one of the moat remarkable popular ovations of recent times. The distrust that had at first to be encountered by the Home Rule movement, the fear ibat it would result in the disintegration of the Empire, was now wholly dissipated, and people were coming to recognise that large measures of local government were absolutely necessary to the good and stable government of the country, and for the settlement of various questions which could not be satisfactorily adjusted by the Imperial Parliament. It was owing to this feeling having recently been more fully embraced in Scotland that the agitation in favour of the movement had taken such deep root in that country, and the delegates particularly noticed during their mission in Australia that the Scotchmen with whom they came in contact were almost unanimously in favour of the cause. This they attributed to the fact that these peoplo had been kept, through various sources, more closely in touch and sympathy with the current of popular feeling in Scotland itself on this all-engrossing subject It was only those who had been a long while absent from Home from whom the delegates had to encounter any very strong opposition in the prosecution of their mission. Altogether their visit had, they thought, been the means of removing a great deal of misapprehension in the colonies as to their aims and objects, and to satisfy the people of these new lands that Home Rulers at Home did not seek the disruption of the Empire, but that Home Rule would have the very opposite effect, by strengthening i the ties of mutual affection and sympathy which should bind the Empire together. In the course of the conversation, Mr Dillon remarked that with some people it was not a question of reason, but of bigotry and prejudice, He said during the interview that he would take the opportunity of witnessing some of the scenery of New Zealand when he had finished his political duties in the colony. He had long wished to see New Zealand ; he had read a lot about it, but had never an idea of coming to the country till a few months ago. He proposed to reach Dunedin after the Exhibition opened ; he was anxious to see it, but as he intended to hold a meeting in Dunedin ho would not go there until some time after the Exhibition had opened. With reference to Sir George Grey and Home Rule, Mr Dillon said he knew nothing of the cablegram recently received here stating that a Home Rule seat was being obtained for Sir George Grey. He undoubtedly considered Sir George Grey a very remarkable man ; he had read his views on Home Rule and on other questions. Whilst in Australia the delegates, did not speak to any of the Premiers or public men on the subject of their mission. It was the public that the delegates wanted to reach, and the popular sympathy that they wished to touch.