NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2311, 3 May 1887, Page 2

NOTES.

As usual, MrThomas Bracken, the genial " Paddy Murphy," has allowed his patriotism to run away with his common sense. He has given notice move "That this House is of opinion that the adoption of a system of to government by coercion in Ireland would have the effect of marring, to a large extent, the rejoicings which are about to toke place in celebration of the Jubilee of Her Majesty's glorious reign, and that it is opposed to the spirit of the British Constitution, and the principles of political freedom which have made the Irish people great and powerful." No one possesses a kindlier or more sympathetic heart than Mr Bracken, and it is not easy to condemn a proposal springing from a sentiment of his; but in the present case his action is not defensible on constitutional grounds. We sympathise very heartily with the object of the resolution proposed, because we are convinced that coercion will only produce a fresh crop of outrages, but at the same time we deprecate the introduction of such a subject to the Parliament of New Zealand, whose only business is to look after our own affairs. Those inhabitants of this colouy who disapprove of the new Imperial Policy in Ireland (and we doubt not their number is large) can protest against it in quite a legitimate way, but they have no right to ask that their protest shall be forwarded by Parliament, because that institution represents many, who, from whatever cause, and however unreasonably, are in full sympathy with the policy of Lord Salisbury.