Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 6 April 1911, Page 631

Irish News

ANTRIM—Export of Linen Mr. A. C. Pirn, president of the Linen Merchants' Association, at the annual meeting emphatically repudiated, as regarded the-linen trade in general, the accusation of ' sweating' which had been made against it in the annual report of the Medical Officer of Health. If sweating existed, said Mr. Pirn, the Association would gladly assist in exposing it, as it was against their own interests that it should exist. Mr. Pirn further said that they could congratulate themselves upon a year of continued prosperity, and Mr. It. E. Headman said that it was remarkable that in 1909 Ireland exported £12,000,000 worth of linen. - The Irish Trade Mark The Earl of Carrick, at the annual meeting of the Belfast Industrial Association, referred to the work done by the ' Department' in the detection and punishing of frauds in connection with Irish produce in Britain. He bad no hesitation in saying that in the more populous districts in England out of every eight eggs sold as Irish seven were foreign. The Earl added that the value of the Irish trade mark had not been realised by the Irish people to its proper extent. DOWN—A Windfall An appeal has been dismissed at San Diego, California, in reference to the estate, valued at £50,000, of the late George McGurck, and, , as a consequence, the estate now passes to deceased's half-brother and half-sister, Mr. M. McGurck and Miss Elizabeth McGurck, of Clohogue, near Newry, who are declared the lawful heirs. Some Notable Houses It is mentioned in some of the English papers (says the Melbourne Advocate) that the syndicate who own Thomas Carlyle's house in Chelsea are about to purchase another house in which the ' sage' dwelt in the long ago. This suggests that something ought to be done in the Irish capital to secure to the city the ownership in some of the Dublin houses where celebrated men lived, were born, or died. It is true that there are tf blots on many of those places, but, usually, those plates are erected by the courtesy of the owner or occupier of the property. Some of the interesting houses referred to are now pretty old, and may at any time be pulled down by the utilitarian investor, who has little sentiment but for commercial enterprise and bank treasure. For example, the house in Pitt street in which Balfe, the composer of ' The Bohemian Girl,' was born, appears to be what is called a ' tenement' —that is to say, a house where each room or pairs or rooms are let to an individual or a family, and, for convenience sake, the front door is left always open. This is frequently the ultimate fate of a large house that was once the home of a well-to-do, perhaps wealthy, family. But there are many houses in Dublin, notable as birthplaces and deathplaces and residences, that are not even marked by a tablet. For example, the house in which Mrs. Hemans, the poetess, died —close to St. Stephen's Green — not so identified; nor is the house in Merrion square in which Lady "Wilde', the poetess, had her home for so many j'ears, so marked. Not even Daniel O'Connell's house in the same square is indicated. But the subject is a big one, upon which a good-sized booklet might be written. The work of the Carlyle syndicate ought to set Dublin men a-thinking about permanently securing the notable houses in their own city. DUBLIN—Of Irish Workmanship '•'"' The King's 'Acorn Coach,' which has been burnt in a fire at a Netting Hill coachbuilders, was one of those intended for use at the Coronation. It was so old that the date of its construction is uncertain, but it was probably built two hundred years ago in Dublin. It weighed nearly three tons, and was mostly of English ash. It was very valuable as a specimen of fine handiwork and as an antique. QALWAY—The Cathedral Fund -Over £23,000 have now been subscribed for the Gahvay Diocesan College and Cathedral Fund. Substantial Damages , Mr. W. Whelan, of Portumna, has been awarded £SOO damages against the Galway County Council for personal injuries alleged to have been sustained through stumbling over a .mud-heap, lying on, the roadway. Several of his ribs had been broken, and «his spine was permanently injured. '- ' ;;/••••■•■:•■■■'•-■■•=■ ''.' '-'..;:' '.'■••■.-.. KERRY—The Royal Visit At a recent meeting of the Killarney Urban District Council Mr. Hurley referred to the approaching Royal visit to Ireland and suggested that the Council should express to the King and Queen their desire that Killarney might be included in the tour. The suggestion was adopted, and the clerk was instructed to communicate with the King's Private Secretary. Mr. M. Healy, Town Clerk, subsequently received the following|} telegram : — ; Windsor Castle, January 28, 1911. The King and Queen have received with much gratification the kind rvessage which you

forwarded on behalf of the Killarney Urban District Council. Their Majesties regret that the time will not , admit of their visit to Ireland in July next being v extended 1 beyond Dublin. Please express to the Council the sincere thanks of the King and Queen for their '.oyal assurances.— Arthur Bigge.' .-.■ "'■': ■"■;—:<'*/<." H-d &>-?.• LOUTH— Election Petition r - A ~ U ■Not for many years (writes a Dublin correspondent) has' any legal trial in Ireland attracted so much public attention as "that of the .North Louth Election Petition against the return of Mr. Richard Hazleton, who defeated Mr. T. M. Healy at the General Election.'.. The courthouse in Dundaik has been thronged daily with belies and gentlemen, some of whom provide themselves with luncheons so as to retain their seats and thus miss none of the proceedings. On February 10 a sensational development tooK place, when at the opening of the court Sergeant Moriarty, counsel for the respondent, announced that in view of the fact that cases of bribery had been admitted on the previous day, it would be useless to further contest the petition, and he was willing to submit to an order declaring the election void. This summary way of ending the proceedings was opposed by counsel for the petitioners, who urged that the entire case should be gone into. The court decided to hear further evidence on behalf of the . petitioners, and the trial proceeded at a cost, according to Sergeant Mori arty, of £4OO per day. Mr. Healy, K.C., entered the witness box, and his direct examination and cross-examination were followed by a ; large audience ; with almost breathless attention. Some humorous ■incidents enlivened the proceedings during the hearing of the petition. For instance, when a witness was ' asked by Mr. A. M. Sullivan, K.C., if he had got a drink out of a motorcar which was occupied by Mr. Cullinane, M.P., and other supporters of Mr. Hazleton, he said most emphatically that he had not. Counsel then asked if he had got a drink out of a tumbler, and the witness replied without hesitation that he had. The court laughed heartily, and Mr. Justice Gibson declared he had rarely or never heard a better joke. ' MAYOThe Diocese of Achonry . A meeting of the parish priests of the. diocese ~-. of Achonry was held on February 13 with the object of selecting three names to be submitted to the Holy See in connection with the appointment of a Bishop in succession to the late Right Rev. Dr. Lyster. The Very Rev. Dean Morrisroe, of Maynooth College, was first on the list with sixteen votes; Very Rev. Dean Conington, P.P., and Very Rev. M. Keveney, P.P., getting one vote each. Declines to Levy Rate The Mayo County Council has decided to levy no rate in aid of Galway University College until such time as provision is made in it for the talented children of poor parents. SLlGO—Compulsory.Purchase' The Chief Secretary for Ireland made a statement of very great importance in answer to a question by Mr. Scanlan lately. As is well known in the West, great dissatisfaction prevails in County Sligo owing to the failure of the Congested Districts Board to acquire unoccupied lands and grazing ranches suitable for the relief of congestion. Mr. Birrell has now informed Mr. Scanlan that the delay has arisen owing to the difficulty of bringing negotiations for voluntary purchase. to•? a successful issue. Steps are now being taken, however, to make final offers for voluntary purchase in this and'-other, counties,, and if these offers are not accepted, the Board will put in force its compulsory powers under the Act of 1909. This announcement will be received with gratification .'in the West, and it is to be hoped that the Board will lose no time in carrying its understanding into operation. ':"-,i • ; t'«v:' TIPPERARY—Mourning in Thurles * At all the Masses in Thurles Cathedral- ; on '■'"- Sunday, February 12, touching references were made to the death of the Most Rev. Dr. Ryan, of Philadelphia, who was such a distinguished Irishman. He had been born in their midst, and in his early youth had attended the Christian Brothers' Schools in Thurles. They therefore mourned him as a Thurles man, as well as a great Churchman. There are many people in Thurles who remembered Dr. Ryan as a boy attending the Brothers' schools.^v When in Ireland some years ago he paid a visit to Thurles 'and to the schools where he spent so many days in his boyhood, addressing the pupils and exhorting them to persevere' in their studies and attend to the admonitions of their teachers. On the same occasion he addressed a public meeting of the townspeople from the steps of the Cathedral, in which he referred to his early associations. He also referred in touching terms to distinguished Thurles Archbishops and priests whom he remembered as ■ a boy in • Thurles^ WATERFORD— the Century Mrs. Power, of Kiln a grange, County Waterford, died recently at the age of 105 years. She was the widow of a small farmer, who , predeceased her about thirty years ago. Until quite recently Mrs. Power was able to walk from her home, a distance of some miles, to receive her old age pension. Her father died at 107, and her grandfather lived until he was 111 years of age. Thus in three generations a v record of 323 years has been made in the direct succession named. ■

GENERAL

Reconstruction of Irish Administration Mr. Birrell, replying to Captain Craig in the House of Commons on ■ February 13, said the special circumstances which induced the Government to continue Mr. T. W. Russell in office as Vice-president of the Department of Agriculture in Ireland were the qualifications of Mr. Russell for a difficult post and the probability at a not remote date of the reconstruction of the Irish administration. A Malicious Lie Mr. John Redmond, in a letter to Mr. Clolin Brown, of the Whitby Liberal Club, has repudiated for the fourth or fifth time a quotation given in the Conservative press to the effect that he said on July 11, 1000, every Irishman in America would rejoice to hear a German army was marching in triumph across England. ' The whole thing,' lie writes, ' is a malicious lie.' The Cultivation of Flax The area under flax in Ireland, which twelve years ago had fallen to 34,469 acres-the lowest on record—has since shown an improvement, the average acreage for the years 1006-10 having risen to 49,160. Laborers' Cottages In the House of Commons on February 9 Mr. Sheehan asked the Chief Secretary if he could state when he proposes to introduce a Bill to redeem his promise that an additional million shall be provided for the purpose of financing the Laborers (Ireland) Act, 1906; if he was aware that this sum will scarcely suffice to meet the immediate requirements of District Councils promoting schemes under the Laborers, Acts; if he could declare the intentions of the Government as to the future; and when the proposed amending Bill comes before Parliament would facilities be given for the consideration of urgent amendments which experience has shown to be essential to the due and efficient working of the Act. Mr. Birrell said the Bill would be introduced in a few days. The extra million will be sufficient to provide not only for all immediate requirements but also for all schemes that are likely to be framed in the future so far as can be contemplate Losses to the Church by Death The death of Rev. M. Laverty has taken place at Ligoniel, near Belfast, at the age of 52. Deceased, who had been ailing for close on a year, was a native of Killyfad, County Antrim. He was a brother of Mr. P. Laverty, the well known Belfast solicitor. At Randalstown, County Antrim, on February 13, took place the death of Rev. Michael O'Malley. He was a native of Tower Hill, Cappamore, County Limerick, where he was born in 1845. He was ordained in 1870 and ministered in various parishes of, the diocese of Down and Connor, in each of which ho earned the esteem of the people. In the diocese of Ferns much regret is felt at the death of Rev. S. J. Cloney, Cloughbawn, which took place after a long illness. The deceased was forty-one years of age. \ native of Old Ross, County "Wexford, he came of a family that gave to the Church many of its sons, including his brother, Rev. Thomas Cloney, the Administrator of Wexford. Throughout Kerry diocese there is widespread regret at the death of the Very Rev. Canon Davis, V.F., Listowel, in his 82nd year. The Canon, who was very popular, had been parish priest of Listowel for over a quarter of a century, during which period he worked zealously for both the spiritual and temporal interests of his people. A Challenge In the Spectator, in the congenial columns of which the Anglican Bishop of Durham has given vent to his political antipathies, Mr. Gwynn' puts the prelate a question and makes him a challenge (says the Catholic Times). The question is whether he has ever remonstrated with the Protestant Unionists in Ireland for their practice of reserving patronage to their own political and religious partisans, or uttered one word of protest against the narrow spirit of monopoly which, governs Unionist County Councils and Corporations in Ireland, or shown the least recognition of those instances, neither few nor remarkable, in which Catholic and Nationalist bodies have; selected Unionists and Protestants in competition against Catholic Nationalists. Mr. Gwynn reminds this political prelate that in Armagh, where Protestants are 55 per cent, of the population, they hold 94 per cent, of the appointments under the County Council; that .in Tyrone, where they are. less than half but have a majority of one on the Council, they hold 90 per cent, of the jobs; that in Monaghan, where they are only 34 per cent, of the population, they have 41 per cent, of the appointments; and. that 20 per cent, of the appointments in Tipperary, where they are only 6 per cent., are held by the Protestants. The challenge is that the Bishop should produce a single case in which a Nationalist Council has dismissed a Unionist and Protestant official on account of his politics or his religious creed. We shall be much interested to know how the Bishop will reply.