1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1084, 27 May 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

1881.

, [ (From the London Tinits) '.'• i \Comnu<d,) :f ■■ ■■ I p i Thoro was for Bome-jtime good reason.to j ,fi hope -that, these vigorous measures .would be M j-Xufficienji to restore the, supremacy of the law ,T',', the tenantry to take up their ■'• ..position- loyally.under thei,'shelter of the i„,Land Act.-'' Outbreaks of rioting ia Dublin; , Limerick, and! a few pther places Iwere promptly put down, and many signs were , visible of a reaction against the .reckless counsels of tho."no rent" manifesto..',Mr; . Gray's proposal ,to .confer the freedom of the . city of Dublin on Mr. Parnoll was rejected; •: Archbishop Croke, .who had long been idonti- . fied with the oxtremcst views of the League] published aletter condemning the refusal of routs. The Land Commission was opened by Mr. Justice O'flagan and his colleagues oii the very day on which the proclamation supi ~pressing tho Leaguo appeared, and, after a ■ short delay, applications for fixing a fair rent , wpro received in great numbersi Four.Sub< Commissions were, sent round,to hoar, these applications :in the first instance, the Chief Commissioners reserving to .themselves the settlement of points of. law and procedure, and the determination of questions relating . taleases, But, though some 50,000 tenants 'applied to tho Court before the close of the sittings,.the greatunajority.still held aloof,' and tho payment of rent was very generally refused. As the year wore on, and the decisions of the Sub-Gommissiouers were published, this attitude of the tenants assumed a most Serious aspect. It showed an apparent determination, to stand by the Kilmainhain ' manifesto, "to make "prairie'value" the ' .standard of rent,' to starve' out the landlords,' to 'confront the, law with passive resistance, . supported by adore! outrage, and, in short; to rely rather upon the lawless promises of the Land League than tho substantial advantages of ■ the Land Act. In Ulster this ■ was not so;, the Land Act was all but universally accepted, and the lesson of the 'Tyrone election was repeated with greater ' emphasis in the county of Derry, where the .'seat vacated by Mr. Law, on his nomination as Lord O'Hagan's successor in the Chancel- , lorship, was,filled by the' Solicitor-General, Mr. Porter. ; But in the three Southern pro- ; vinoes the "no rout" policy was'adopted by 'great numbers of the tenants, and even those who went into Court were prepared, a3 Mr, 'Parnell'a mouthpieces boasted, to. fallback upon it, if not satisfied with the reduced rents fixed by the Sub-Commissioners. The 'reductions, seemed large and sweep- ' ing enough to satisfy any reasonable claims, , and Mr, Porter's friends in Derry thought , them so attractive that they placarded them as proof of the benefits conferred on the tenants by the Act.. Not only in Ulster, but in Munster and. Connaught, rents were generally reduced from 20 to 30 percent., and in many cases muoh more, Tenancies on "old estates, where rents had been- paid for ■twenty, thirty; or oven fifty years, were as freely handled as new tenancies on properties purchaaod in the Landed Estates Court. The landlords were, struck with' dismay, and vehement protests were made on their behalf, : It was maintained that when the Land Bill was debated in Parliament Ministers had asserted that no general reduction.of existing rents was possible, and that great numbers of tenants would bo glad to mako amicable arrangements with their landlords, knowing that if they went into Court their rents would ■ be raised. These forecasts, it was urged, had not been realised, nor had the landlords received any incidental advantages.under'the new laws j rents were even less readily paid or recovered than before, and while old remedies were taken away, no new ones were practically accessible. It was argued, further, that no one had imagined the practical settlement of fair rents would bd'intrustcd to persous of the standing of the Sub-Commis-.siouers, whose numbers bad been multiplied as the business increased. Tlieanswer made on behalf of the Government was that, with respect, to the decisions of the Sub-Commis-sioners, no final judgement could be formed, 'inasmuch as they could be carried on appeal .before the Central Commission, while so far ■as the enforcement of the law was concerned .every effort would ho made, not only to stamp out" boycotting "by prosecutions and 'arrests under the Coercion Acts, but by employing military force..to. aid.in carrying out evictions. The initiative, however, in proceeding for recovery of rent was left of necessity to the landlords, and tho organs of the Land League, which still continued to preach tho "gospel of plunder,"encouraged the tenants to hope that, the Property Defence Association and similar organisations of tho landlords being reduced to bankruptcy, • the refusal to pay rents must soon achieve its own practical acceptance. In this position of affairs an appeal was made to the liberality of the British nation, and a Committee was formed at the Mansion House, under tho .presidency of the Lord Mayor, to aid Irish landlords in the assertion of their rights by " boycotting " or otherwise, The "no rent" policy is still upheld by secret combination and terrorism, but a distinct improvement is marked in the conduct of the juries at the Winter Assizes, where a large number of convictions in agrariau cases have been obtained, It appears that if the constabulary, who are to be reinforced by drafts from tho Army Ueserve, are able to effect arrests, and if prosecutions are vigorously pressed by the legal authorities, the fears .or ill-will of jurors cannot be now regarded as tho chief •bstaole in'the path of justice. The condition of Ireland furnished material for an extraordinary succession of political speeches during the reoess,in very few of which were any practical suggestions for dealing with the actual difficulty to be found,' Attack and apology drifted into recriminations of ever-increasing bitterness,' Parliament had been prorogued 'with- a general sense of relief after a long and weary session, but, exasperation as well as exhaustion soured tho,political temper, The conflict between tho two Houses had whetted the zeal of .party, and politicians reduced to silence by obstruction- were eager to have their say at last. The leaders of parties,- as well as the rank and file, kept up a constant interchange ■of speeches. The most remarkable episode in this unfruitful campaign wasMri Gladstone's visits to Leeds, whero he delivered a series of orations scarcely less vigorous than those of the Mid-Lothian contest,. But even .Mr. Gladstone could not overcome the inherent difficulties of the situation. There was no practical issue, to be debated, The .results of, tho Libera'lpolicy in Ireki'nd were, as they, still are, involved in doubt, and pre--dictions, • favorable. or unfavorable, were equally unfit to be taken as a basis of disscussion/ The questions to be dealt with in the next session'were not settled, with the exception of the projected revision of the rules of the House of Commons, of which, however, Ministers were unable or unwilling to speak, except in general terms. The speeches in the autumn, therefore, were concerned,almost exclusively with the past, and went over ground which had been repeatedly traversed •in' public controversy while Parliament was sitting, The original responsibility for the dangerous growth'of Irish disaffection; the manner in'which'the questions arising out of tho Treaty'of Berlin had been settled, the expediency of the abandonment of Candaljar and of the retrocession of tho. Transvaal,

were among the battlos fought over and over on ovory platform, .Some speakers, indeed, went back complacently to the.issues on which the general eleotion of 1880, had turned, Others fastened upon isolated statements in tbo utterances,?] their opponents, ,Mr. Gladstone's.public.declarations on tho Irish'question, of courso, excited interest before tliQ blow fell on the Land Loague, but in general eyen Ministers had to couline themselves to controversial, commonplaces,. On the. other side popular curiosity was attracted to Lord Salisbury, whoso title to succeed Lord :Beaconsficld,.not only as a leader of the Conservative majority in tbo Houso of .Lords, but as chief of the parly, was on trial. Lord Salisbury's Bpeeohes at Newcastle and Bristol wore full of vigor, though not .without.; evidence of the faults which adverse critics: had discerned, in his oharacter, , Occupying a nominally co-equal .position, Sir Stafford Northcote falls far behind where the Opposition havo to assume the offensive. For the present,.however, the attaoks of the Opposition have.no definite object, and in the .opinion of many Conservatives, Lord Salisbury's energy is a dangerous gift, .Though ;the Liberals have lost gcreral seats sinoo tho. general election, and though their majorities, j evdn where they, keep their ground, are dwindling-* view which the municipal elections,, oven if unimportant in themselves, go far to confirm—there is no probability, that, were there to bo an. immediato appeal tothe country, the; Conservatives would be success- j ful. In the present state of Ireland, especially | the Opposition, for reasons of party prudence j as well as of publio interest, must be solicit-1 ous to avoid administrative responsibilities, ■ and this fact paralyses much of tho political' criticism which, , ueverkholeasj has. to .bo < produced, in immense quantity,bypompetitors .; for.the favor of provin-.... cial audiences. . While seats havo been lost and won, we have to record fow Ministerial; changes, The retirement of Argyll from the Cabi- ; net in consequence of his disapproval, of .the Land Bill made way for Lord : Carlingford's; return' to office as Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Grant Buff, taking the place of the late Mr. Adam as Governor of Madras,' was succeeded • as Under-Secretary .for the colonies by Mr,. : Courtney, previously Under-Secretary to the , Home Department,, But,, in the main, the composition of tho Ministry, has not been altered since: the beginning of the year, nor have any new issues been brought |, forward in a definite and . practical shape on which Liberal opinion is likely .to bo divided.. The Irish Land Bill,indecd,Beverely tried the allegiance of ,many,but that enterprise was universally regarded as exceptional. Among . , the questions which lie before the Liberal majority thoro are some that can hardly fail to procipitato danger and division if extreme views are allowed to prevail. If tho Strength of Liberalism has; been . consolidated by 'the encouragement which, some of, its opponents have given . to protectionist: doctrines, the same agricultural depression out of which the "fairtrade" movement arose has been productive of extravagant schemes for settling • the land question in Great Britain. .Early in tho recess the extension of the Irish Land Bill to Scotland was demanded . by the farmers of Aberdeenshire, and a plan of - legislation produced by the "Farmers' Alliance" in this country;'lus claimed the introduction by law of what practically amounts to a "joint proprietorship" between landlord and tenant. The discussion of the subject, • as yet, happily, not here inflamed l)y party passions, has shown that, whatever remedies for agricultural distress may be needful, the problem in Great Britain differs radically from that in Ireland. Attention has been turned to the possibility of relieving the land by the redistribution of local burdens. Many questions connected with local government inrural districts have also come to the front, and Mr, Goschcn's speeches on the subject have stimulated thought and inquiry. The claims of external policy have been overshadowed by the Irish question. European affairs were pushed into the background. Outside the circle of domestic politics the I Transvaal - war was viewed with the most painful and absorbing interest. At the close of last year the insurrection of the Boers had just._ become' known in England,,' When Parliament met it was the 'general and,confident expectation, as the language of .the speech from the Thome proved, that tho Queen's authority would be at once restored, and that, the Boers would yield to the display of armed power under Sir George Colley. The ovent showed that the insurgents wore determined as well as brave. Having invested the British garrison in the Transvaal, they advanced into. Natal, and Sir George Colley unfortunately attempted, with a wholly inadequate forco, to dislodge them from a strong position at Laing's Nek, He was repulsed with heavy loss, and, little more than a week later, without Waiting for his reinforcements, he-fought another unsuccessful battle, at Ingogo, in the vain hope of olearing his coinmunidations.' Sir Evelyn Wood hastened to tho front with all the troops he could gather, .and, with patience and' caution, the Boer positions' would probably have been forced almost bloodleasly. Sir' George Colley, however, burning to retrievo his credit,.threw himself, with a small body of troops, upon Majuba Hill, whence, as ho supposed,- he i couldturn Laing's Nek. The bold enterprise ; was momentarily successful, but the Boers, their enemy's weakness, attacked ■in force and stormed the hill, driving the : British to flight, .with terrible slaughter/' Sir t George Colley was among the slain, The colonists of Natal were panic-stricken, but Sir Evelyn Wood stood manfully on the defensive, It was at once resolved by tho Home

Government to increase ;thearuiy in Natal to 15,000' men and to'send out Sir Frederick Roberts to 'tike the command; Negotiations had been''opened, 1 However, with'the Boers with a viow to a paolOd'settlement of differences, and the Cabinet did notcOnceive that the reasons in favor'of that policy were outweighod bythe faot : that Sir George Colley's imprudence Had involved his arinyin disaster. A ! few days after the storming of Majuba Hill, Sir Evelyn AVood'concluded an armistice with the "Triumvirate" who ■formed .the' provisional' Government of the' Boers, and. •when Sir Frederick Roberts reaohed the Cape ho found that the 'wanvas over. Beace/in•deed,' was more thanonce in danger after the. armistice; the younger Boors wero insubordinate and exoitod, and the enforced surrender ■ of Potehefstrooin was justly, condoinried as a, breaolrof good faith, <At length, •however, hostilities were formally suspended -till the the Boers wcro to enjoy " self-government" had beon settled by a Oommissioii. The Commissioners were Sir Hercules Robinson, 1 the Governor of the Cape Colony, and- Chief Justice do Villiers,; with Mr. Braud, President of the Orange Free State.- The Convention adopted by the Com-; j missioners, reserving to the British Crown a j !':SUBerainty"..which ; was made to, include control over .tho foreign relation of the Boers [and their dealings with the native rapes, was carried, outjin August, when the Republican •Government was placed in full possession of the .'Transvaal. It still romained-.for the ■■'.Volksraad".. to' ratify these arrangements, and a majority of -.the younger Boers were inclined to resist, The objections pf the Volksraad.to the reserved powers of '•' suserajnty" • were met by the luipocial Government,with a declaration that !tke,,Convention miist bo

accepted in its integrity. Preparations for war were ordered in Natal and at homo, and Mr, Gladstone spoke in firm toncsatLeeds. The recalcitrant Boers were not prepared to faco a renewal of war;- their opposition 'was Waived, and the Convention is now in force ■as regulating, at least in form, the relations betweon this country and the Transvaal, ■ Tlie difficulties of the Government in dealing with South African affairs on any general principles of policy havo been increased by colonial fractiouaness ami sectional feeling, Mr. Sprigg's Ministry at tho Cape had become involved in trouble through the'mismanagement of the Basuto war, which was ended by a patched-up and doubtful arrangement, and their advocacy of tho unpopular confederation schemo gave the Cape Town Legislature an opportunity of getting rid of them,: During the Trausvaal quarrel tho Dutch population of tho Cape Colony had shown intense sympathy with their insurgent kinsmen, The attitude of the Natalcolonists was equally unconciliatary and inconsistent! with an intercolonial union; they hotly denounced the Convention with the Boers, and exhibited an irrational jealousy of the Homo Government in a protest against Mr, Seudall's nomination as Lieutenant-Governor. Though in this matter Lord Kimberley : yielded to the wishes of the colonists, the temper shown is most unsatisfactory. At no time has there been less prospect of an amicable alliance of the South African settlements, subject to the supreme authority of the Crown. Fortunately, the danger of a general native war is for tho present removed. In-our other colonies we have- no such troubles or disasters to record, New Zealand, it ■ is truo, was thrown into alarm by the preaching of a "native prophet," who succeeded in •■making tho

Maoris believe I 'that 110 pos's'essliod' miracleworking, powers, which,hecould and 'would uso to:'oxpel the 'British; and'tdfestore'.the land to' its,original, 'owners.' The Maoris',' under TeWhiti's with;the.'pWgress''pf : settlpmont , ohtiie'Wbs)j Coast, obstructing' the opening of "i'pads anfl; erecting barriers..against the'' occupation of State lands, The' Colonial Government hesitated to. adopt bxtr'eme me'asures,'and flip' Minister of Native Affairs in consenuenco resigned, to bb.recalled some month's later when' thodaugdr had grown' more' throatening,.' In November a proclamation was.issued, warning ToWhiti to desist from hra incitements'to rebellion,' and a force of 1.700 men inarched to Parihaka, the centre of disafFeotibh, demandi.ng'ahanswer, Tno'"prpp)ie't'"fplibaejc on, silence and' passive' resistance', 1 'and \ his 'fpl-' lowers seemed really to have believed tliat.i/ miracle would bo wrought for his deliveranc/ and his foes' discomfiture, Ho was.arrestid an'd'sont' under a strong'guard'to New !s■' mouth, and; his power has rbeou apparently annulled by the falsification of his' prmic-' tious,; iThe Australian colonies:, havo. ieou, pursuing a career of steady. ■ prosperity» of which thoy aro taking full advautaw by coining: into the money market at hjino as large borrowers.' Victoria, has made restively the least.; advance, as".this year'j'.census proves, which may be duein;part tj>political disturbance,' aud in: part of. a protective tariff, Tho former, oauso Jias ibeen, for /i time, re-. .moved, The'lougpondingguarreljbtweentlie two branches of the Legislature j* Melbourne ,was brought to aneudbyareaonablocoinpromise ,The constitution of th/ Council was ; liberalised, but uo.revoluntiomy .changes---such as tho plebiscite or tho adaption of Bills' on the vote of ouOiChambei'iOnly-rWereiin-.'

ported into the political system of the colony. Soon afterwards Mr. Berry's Ministry was overthrown by a combination of enemies, and Sir Bryan O'Loghlen formed a Government, which still subsists, In the Dominion of Canada, wo have to chronicle no political events of. general interest, The Marquis of Lome's .visit 10. the North-West evoked the warmest popular feeling, arid there is not the least evidence to, suppart the rumors pf the American Press that a Canadian movement for " independence "is ripening. The controversy, arising out of the Fortune Bay Fishery claims has been settled by an agreement to pay the United States Government £15,()00 for the damage inflicted on the American fishing fleet by. the inhabitants of the Newfoundland coast,

tlidr 'opinion : with' an ; cli'ecij jnumteiy :inpre. telling thau/tliQ most aevere'onslaught in [a. nowspape>could,pr.bduce.; ! ''.Oji''tlioJiv'elinesy' of) the soej/e frequently enacted.''b^th-before and bahiw 'the 'curtain. Ltoadriers, of ; our 'fyasrig^hnv^^^ vale'hts of the' fit are/oxtaiit'.'only.'in' the studehigallßriesof uhiversity.cities such,as' Dublia4nd, Ediuburgli; dt'SvliicKlcitter JSir.' Irviii/during' a 'reciiijt' '^brfbrmance'.'pf' tlje ''.Mfrchaut Of Venice" h;id y personally' to'ap-; ' penl/tb'-the youtbfiil'.gpds'tp restore peace'. awemiet;. The.ifayoiirite'seat of "CburchiH tli/satirist' 'was in: the: front' row' of.. the.pit mxt'thp" orchestral 1 where' his formidable' ypec't used'to frigh't'eh and'.'sometiines' aotu-thb'.-actors,' '.fopr Tom iDavies ; stoodinektreme ; iiwe of him,''' During' 'the rim of ! " Cyinbbllne"'he wrote ; 'a'polbgeti-' calif to Gamete his manager,""'l'had the misfprtu'no%' disconcert yo,u in; one scene, for which I'did immediately beg your pardon, and did attribute ifc.tp riiy acci'dentally''seeing'Mr. Churchill'in the pit; with great truth it rendered itie confused and unmindful of my business,"- Ahiong later'arid less formidable patrons of the pit, .Charles! Lamb aud Leigh Hunt'may be mentioned'} and to those English names we' may'add' that of : a famous French pittite, Hector Berlioz, who m'oro'than half a century'ago played'»' coil-' spiisUous figure'iri \M parterre of. the Grand Opera,. .'Accompanied by.a band, of'kindred spirits,'the young 'enthusiast'us'ed fo'be prosent at everypcrforma'nee of ~one of Gluck's operas, aud follow the music, score in hand, . witli' undivided attention,;/ If he discovered, as was top frequently the case, that liberties had becri taken : wlth instrumental ; tiph, he : would|shoiit ; in a stenito'rian''voice; "Jf ri'y a pas ; do oyinbalcs .la'dedans;,c(u