ANTI-HOME RULE MEETING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1974, 26 November 1889, Page 4

ANTI-HOME RULE MEETING.

The anti-Home Eule meeting called for Monday evening, the 18th inst. (says the Wellington Herald), attracted a very large attendance, and as the admission was free naturally the hall was crowded with a class who attended for the sole purpose of having a “ lark.” The speakers consequently had to take their share of good-natured chaff and interruptions by an audience that did not have any sympathies with either side. The anticipated discussion on Home Rule, however, gave place to a religious tirade against the Roman Catholics as prime movers in the Home Eule cause, and on account of the support accorded to the Irish delegates by the clergymen of the latter denomination. We think the question of Home Rule should be discussed free from such violent speeches as were delivered on Monday night, We believe in religious liberty to everyone, and think the leaders of the anti-Home Eule meeting made a great mistake in permitting the speakers to take up such an attitude: They should have devoted their attention to the question at issue, to hear a debate on which a great number of the public had aL tended. The language of the speakers was badly chosen, and some of their statements were wild —such as that the , Roman Catholics were going to destroy Great Britain’s unity through the medium of Home Eule. If they had been better informed they would have known that the principal leaders of the Home Eule party, aud the great Parnell himself, are Protestants, while again one of the delegates’, Sir Thos. Esmonde’s family, is not Catholic; and the greatest man in England, the premier Duke of Norfolk—the leader of the Pimrose League—so much opposed to Home Eule, is a Catholic. Also the greatest part of the Scotch members (who are noted for being cool, calculating, and just), and the whole of the Welsh members, are supporters of Parnell. We are only sorry that an admission fee was not charged and the real question of Home Rule discussed, instead of resurrecting played-out religious feuds. The rising generation of New Zealand don’t care a toss up whether their fathers were Turks or Christians, Orangemen or Fenians, and such a “ storm in a teapot” as that which took place last week over Old World prejudices will do much to still further disgust sensible Colonials with the traditions of their forefathers.