PORT ALBERT.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 165, 30 September 1892, Page 8

PORT ALBERT.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] The Mutual Improvement Society mot for the usual weekly meeting in the hall, on Saturday 17th September, the president being in the chair. The attendance was better than usual, the reason being that there was to be a paper read on the question of Home Buie for Ireland, written by Mr O’Connell, that gentleman being a strong believer in his subject. The paper was preceded by an instrumental selection bv Mrs D. Beeeroft, rendered in that lady’s well-known style. Mr A, Gubb then came forward and gave a recitation in good style. The following were some of the criticisms on the paper. Mr Reid was against Home Rule as Ireland being a country unable to keep itself, the union of the countries had been that of Ireland, and if they got what they wanted there would be nothing but riot and bloodshed, Mr L. P. Beecroft thought that Ireland had been nothing but a cancer to England ever since the Union, and said that Ireland would not be such a prosperous nation if they had not been united to England, and also that he could not understand Gladstone supporting the question and thought he must be in his dotage, Mr Steventon was of opinion that if Home Rule was granted wars and fighting amongst themselves would be the result, for now they were split up into two or three parties, and he read extracts from the ‘ Scotchman,’ showing that even their own leaders were not safe as several of them were insulted, Mr J A. Gubb thought Ireland was no worse off than England in regard to crime, in fact there was less crime there than in England, and be considered they were entitle 1 to get what they wanted. The chairman was opposed to Home Rule and thought things would be worse than they are now. Quoting one reason why he was opposed to it he said that when the Provincial Council was in vogue and at the time of the Superintendent elections at the Thames the Irish were the strongest and insulted those who did not vote for their choice, and thought that was a specimen of Home Rule.