IRISH AFFAIRS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1634, 15 September 1887, Page 3

IRISH AFFAIRS.

Lohdok. Sept. 10. Numbers of mounted nnd unmounted L'merick and Tipperary peasants attended the meeting at Mitcbellstown. The police believe that the organis l rs meant to provoke a eollision. 1 lie peasant cavalry backed into the police, breaking their formation. Hundreds of the rioters dipped their handkerchiefs into the blood of the victims and took their departure, flaunting banners and headed by bands playing live'y tunes.

Mr Balfour stated in the House of Commons that Mr Condon’s remarks were the signal for a brutal attack on the police, who were compelled to fire in self-defence, and that the Irish political leaders were mainly responsible for the riot. Nine constables were seriously injured.

Mr J. O'Connor replied that he was proud of the magnificent Tipperary boy*. Laler, The Times says the blood of the victims rests on O’Brien, Lahonchere, and the Radicals engaged in the demonstration. The Pall Mall« Gazette urges Mr Gladstone to visit ( Ireland and answer the bloody challenge^ Sept. 12, O’Brien was arrested at Kingstown last night, and at once conveyed to Dublin, Prom 'thence'"he will be removed to-day to Mitcbellstown to »newer the charge preferred against him. Later,

O’Brien, addressing his sympathisers after hia arrest, said that if the people would emulate the spirit of the Irish at Mitcbellstown Ireland would soon be delivered from the English thrall, Dantt denounces the butchery by the police. Sir Rearers Buller hns resigned his command in Ireland.

The New York World reports Hint the London Time* has obtained possession of a letter from Dillon to Sheridan, covertly approving of the Phoenix Park murders. Latest, The latest reports of the riot at Mitchellstovrn show (bat the casualties were exaggerated. One person was killed, two are dying, and fitly were injured, most ot the latter being policemen.

The official reports state that the po ice when attacked retreated to their barracks. They were again attacked, and then they fired in self defence, and the rioters incurred a just retribution. In the House of Commons to night, a debate was raised by Sir Yemen Harcourfc on affairs in Ireland. In the course of his remarks he declare I that the stopping of the meeting was a flagrant act of illegality which Englishmen would, never stand, Mr Gladstone took part in the debate, and concurred in the views expressed by Sir Vernon Harcourt. In reply, the Chief Secretary for Ireland retorted that during Earl Spencer’s term of office no less than 130 meetings had been stopp d. The resignation «f Sir Eedvers Bailer was not owing to any difference with the Government, hut consequent on his return to the Horse Guards. The po ice, Mr Balfour said, were perfectly justified in the defence of their lives in firing upon the people, and the Government, he declared, would persist in firmly upholding the law. The police fired to save the wounded, who were crawling to the barracks under a shower of stones and blows. He reproached the Opposition wuh using the lives and property of the Irish as counters in the political game. Lord .Randolph Churchill warmly supported the Government. A motion to adjourn was negatived by 228 to 87. Mr Sexton challenged the Government to justify Mr Balfour’s assertion that Mr Condon had incited the meeting to exclude the official reporter. Mr Labouchere and Mr Dillon, who were witnesses of the affair at Mitchellstown, insisted that the polied were the aggressors. Previous to his arrest Mr O’Brien •pent a day at Callybroqk with Mr Dillon and Mr Harrington. He received a telegaam from Mr Labouchere and Mr Brennan asking him to , accompany them to London. Mr O’Brien and Mr Harrington were/ going on board the steamer at Kingston to decline the invitation when ; a detective met Mr O’Brien and: told him he would not arrest him if :he would promise not to go to England. Mr O’Brien refused, and was taken to the Imperial Hotel, escorted by the police, who informed him that he could remain there for the night on condition that he would not make a speech. He refused, and addressed the crowd from the balcony, saying that as long as there was breath in his body his voice would not be silent, unless he was gagged. He was proud to suffer with the poor victims of Mitchellstown. The offer of a promise of non-arrest if he did not go to England indicated that the Government dreaded his appearance there. The crowd was enthusiastic. When interviewed at the Hotel Mr O’Brien said he only wanted to go on board the steamer to. speak to Mr Labouchere. He had not intended to speak after his arrest until it was suggested by the deteclives.

Mr O’Brien today was taken to C irk, where he will be charged with inciting tenants to resist the law. He was remanded and imprisoned, bail being refused. A serious affray has taken place in County Clare, Ireland, between a

party of Moonlighters and the police. In the course of the fight the head constable of Ennis was killed. The police finally succeeded in arresting eight of the moonlighters. Another account says : —“ A dozen Moonlighters were about to murder a farmer who had taken a farm from which the former tenant had been evicted when they were surprised by the police, a party of whom had been lying in ambush. After a desperate fight seven of the moonlighters were captured, but not before several of the police had been severely wounded and one kided.”

The hearing of the charge against Hoeru Te Miuiiha, which occupied the attention of the Auckland Supreme Court for some day#, concluded pu Tuesday • evening at six o’clock, when the jury retired to consider their verdict. At nine o’clock the Foreman announced there was no poasibility of their agreeing and they were locked up for the night. On Wednesday morning, the jury Mi.l failing to agree, were discharged, and a non trial will take place, A destructive fire, in Fergus* m street, Feilding, briike out early yesterday morning. It commenced in Hal I'day’s ahop, which, along wiih Kennedy’s biliird saloon, and W. G. Haybittle’s grocer's shop, were completely destroyed. Ballrio’a Empire Hotel was saved w t-i difficuhy, although injury was done to the furriiture by removal. Damige to the amount o-' £3OOO was done. Mr Berry Cass wil t probably oppose S r Julius Toiel for Chri-tchiircli North. Two parcels of quu' ! z ficin the Browning’s Pass reefs m Auck and, and yielded respectively, the vii ue £9 of 17a per ton, and lOdwcs ’gold per ton. Another parcel from ihe same reef whs tested by Professor Black,-and yields I one ounce per ton. The Hokianga Settlement Corn, pany (Christchurch), has decided to wind up owing to anticipated applications for settlement not coming forward. A small rush has taken place at Tucker Plat near Hokitika. There is hardly a household in Westport not suffering from tha measles epidemic. The new Qirls’-High School at Wellington; erected at a cost of £SOOO, w-is formally opened by the Governor oa Tuesday afternoon.