EVICTIONS IN THEIR TRUE LIGHT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2644, 22 June 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

EVICTIONS IN THEIR TRUE LIGHT.

Mns. Floiiknck Kktti.kwku,, writing from Ltarptrco Court on the subject of evictions on the Olphert estate, says :-- " 1 have just returned from a loug visitto my father at Ballyconnell, Faloarragh, ami the. following facts mayseive to show tl ose evictions in their true light. I have known the tenant.-! on the townland of Ballynass, Ihumnatiny and the Forth from childhood, and have always associated them in my mind as forming a part of my home and its surrounding. I went to see- some of these people, and hedged of them to pay their rent and so avoid the necessity 01 eviction. Every who; e I was met with civilly and even with welcome. I saw no sign of poverty. Potatoes, it is true, were scaice, but meal is cheap, and bread, milk and eggs were not wanting. Ln one house I saw a fowl being cooked lor the next meal. No complaints were made to me about the rents being to high or the landlord too hard ; on the contrary, the tenants willingly confessed that my father had always been kind, and some inquired ' how he was hearing his own troubles these times V One man, who lives at the forth, whom 1 know to he really well oil', owes two years' rent, which with costs amounts to about £1.1. I asked him how he could himself to leave his old home, lie replied, "Oh, 1. must : there wonid be no living here if I paid my rent, but Mr. Olpert knew my money good,' ' Have you £100 saved said I. ' Aye, and more nor that,' was his answer. And yet, ho intends to go out because he has sworn to follow the example of tho Ardsmore tenants, and it is quite likely that wo may read next week in the Nationalists papers accounts of this poor man being- turned out on tho roadside. Some of the tenants came to see me by night, the only time at which they would dare to venture, so afraid is each of his neighbor. They told me they they would give anything' to have all settled and peaceful again, yet no one has sufficient courage to set tho example of paying the rent first. And this reminds me that one evening after dark three men eiiiie to my father to ask a pecuniary favour, which was granted. On leaving they wished him good night, adding-, as they left, 'Wo hope you'll have quiet times, sir, soon ; it's not against you the people are.' The plea of poverty is only an excuse, and I da not hesitate to say that the. tenants in tho townlandsl have mentioned are on the whole quite as well olf as the labourers in many of our Somersetshire villages. English people who go over to Ireland for a few days 'to see for themselves never get, behind tho scenes. They cmnot do so like those who have li/ed ah tin ir lives ai ig the people and understand their habits of life and way of looking; at things.