THE IRISH ENVOYS

New Zealand Tablet, 11 May 1911, Page 858

THE IRISH ENVOYS

ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION IN WELLINGTON AN AUSPICIOUS OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN The Irish Nationalist envoys, Messrs. R. Hazleton, M.P., W. A. Redmond, M.P., and J. T. Donovan, were received by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. M. Wilford) in his room in the Town Hall on Tuesday morning of last week. Most of the _ City Councillors and the principal officers of the Corporation were present (says the Dominion). The distinguished visitors were introduced by Dr. Cahill, chairman of the reception committee, and were accompanied by Mr. Martin Kennedy and members of committee. The Hon. , G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, was also present. The Mayor’s Address. The Mayor, addressing the visitors, said he desired, on behalf of the City Council, to extend to them a hearty welcome to New Zealand. They had come as the representatives of a great people, and though Wellington as a city had no politics—for no municipality in this country had any politics, and he hoped none ever would— yet they, as representatives of the citizens of the Empire City of New' Zealand, welcomed their guests that day and wished them long life and prosperity. Although, as members of the Imperial Legislature, they were necessarily in close touch with this far-off British possession, yet they would gain from their visit the advantage of being able to speak as eyewitnesses, and not as the scribes, and this would also be of advantage to New Zealand. They welcomed them here as men who had won their places in the councils of their nation, men of intelligence, of high thoughts, and great personal ambitions for great causes and great deeds. The council which they w r ere meeting that morning was the first municipal council ’ elected on a purely adult suffrage, and the popular vote had returned as councillors men who had the confidence of the city. They also had in this city the system of rating on unimproved values, and it had worked well, so that, although there was power to change it, there was no movement to do so. The visitors would therefore be able to tell their colleagues at Horae that the people of Wellington were satisfied with the system of taxing land values for municipal purposes, and that the new r adult franchise had so far been exercised properly and _ wisely. They would not see in New Zealand anything like the abject and dire povertv that existed in their own country, but, after travelling in Ireland, he could tell them that they w'ould behold scenes which would remind them of that land. They would see, for instance, the green fields of Taranaki, but they would notice, by way of contrast, the great numbers of the stock pasturing there, and the thickly-settled state of the country. They would realise also that New Zealand was a country of great resources, and had national assets that were as yet absolutely undeveloped, and so when New Zealand went to the London market for money they would recognise that it was not for squandering, and that it was wise* to seek capital for developing the national estate. In this connection. the Mayor made special reference to the ironsand deposits and the discoveries of mineral oil. He concluded by reiterating a hearty welcome to the visitors. Mr. John Smith, as senior councillor, also -welcomed the envoys, and said they would see that New Zealand was a self-supporting part of the Empire, and though she borrowed money she had something to show for it. We wanted a little more money and a great many more men to go on the land. This was not a great manufacturing country, and he supposed it never would be. He hoped the visitors would have a pleasant and profitable time in New Zealand. The Visitors’ Thanks. . Mr. Hazleton said that his colleagues and himself deeply appreciated the welcome that had been accorded to them. They recognised that it was given, not on personal grounds, but because of the position they were proud to occupy, and the people they were proud to represent. He agreed that it was useful for the people of the Old Country to travel as much as possible in newer countries hke this. There was a great deal to be learnt from New Zealand, and the intercourse might be beneficial to both sides. The Mayor had said-that New Zealand must go occasionally to the Old Country for capital to develop her resources. For his own part, he thought people could come here from the Old Country to develop their ideas, which was equally important. As one who was interested in municipal government —he was a councillor of his own city—he had found it very instructive to listen to what the Mayor had said of municipal government in Wellington. People were often in-

dined to attach too little importance' to ' this branch of government, on which the health, prosperity, and general well-being of a community largely depended. He looked forward to gaining in New Zealand much knowledge arid experience that _ would be useful when he returned to take part in the affairs of his own country. ; : Mr. Redmond said he would like to express his deep sense of gratification at the kindly and hearty reception. That they, arriving as almost utter strangers, should be thus .received, was true evidence of the sense of justice and fair play, the honesty and hospitality, which were characteristic of new countries like the. United States, Canada, and Australia. He recognised' that they were received wholly and solely in their official capacities as representatives of the Irish nation. What the Mayor had said of the franchise for the City Council indicated a state of affairs that could not be equalled anywhere in the world, He had often heard it said by people who had travelled in this part of the Empire that nowhere in the world was there to be found a truer understanding and practice of democracy than in New Zealand and Australia. The party of which they were members was a truly representative and democratic party which had supported every effort that had been made to remedy the disadvantages that the ordinary working man labored under in the Old Country as compared with New Zealand, and it was a great gratification to them to find that in this thriving and progressive land the ideals they had been fostering at Home had borne such good fruit. He congratulated New' Zealand on being, like Ireland, an agricultural country, and he hoped that neither would ever become a manufacturing country, and resemble some of those districts such as most of England was becoming to-day. They hoped Ireland would soon become more prosperous than it had been in the past, but they did not want to see.it a country of chimney-stacks. It would be a great gratification to Irishmen at Home to know of the welcome which their representatives had received in Wellington. • Mr. Donovan also expressed thanks. He said he recalled 'with great pleasure his visit to New Zealand some four years ago, and was glad to meet again the friends who were so kind to them then. He knew of no people who had a larger conception of civic duties and broader ideas of government than the people of New Zealand, and he was glad that his colleagues, Mr. Hazleton and Mr. Redmond, would now be able to verify what he had told them about this country. New' Zealand’s example was being copjed in many of the reforms that were being introduced into Great Britain and Ireland, and it would be an advantage if they could copy also the examples of New Zealand in keeping politics out of municipal government. They came to New' Zealand with a message of good cheer and hope. They believed that with the assent of the British democracy and the British-speaking people throughout the world they were at last about to obtain a measure of the national self-government which New Zealand so well and wisely enjoyed. This would contribute not only to the peace, prosperity, and progress of Ireland, but also to the solidarity and strength of the Empire with which they were proud to be incorporated as a free unit. When that came about, in eighteen months’ or two years’ time, they would have to thank the people of Australasia lor their practical sympathy and help. He heartily reciprocated the good wishes that had been expressed. The guests then inspected the Town Hall buildings under the personal conduct of the Mayor. Subsequently the envoys were welcomed by a deputation representing the ladies of the Hibernian Society, and called upon the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. J. Carroll). They lunched with his Grace Archbishop Redwood, and dined at the Wellington Club as the guests of Dr. Cahill. WELCOME FROM HIBERNIAN WOMEN. On Tuesday, Messrs. Donovan, Hazleton, and Redmond were met by a number of lady members of St. Mary’s branch of the Hibernian Society, at Mr. Martin Kennedy’s residence. Rev. Fathers Hickson and Venning, and Bros. J. W. Callaghan (District Deputy), P. D. Hoskins, J. E. Fitzgerald, and S. J. Moran, LL.B., were also present. Sister ,K. Robinson, president of the branch, extended to the delegates a hearty welcome, and hoped they would bo most successful in every respect with their mission, andthat when they returned they would arrive in time to vote with the ‘ Ayes ’ on the Home Rule Bill, as a reward for their labors on behalf of the cause. Miss Robinson then presented the delegates with an address each, conveying words of welcome and good wishes for their mission. Mr. Donovan, said that as a brother Hibernian he accepted with gratitude the address, which embodied the sentiments of all who had the cause of Home Rule at heart. He remembered on his last visit to New Zealand the great support that had been given by the ladies. At Home they were working for the _ attainment of national self-govern-ment, such as we had in New Zealand, and he as hopeful that they would get- it within two years. The satisfactoryposition they were now in, he asserted, was due in a large measure to the determination-and magnificent support rendered by the ladies in the Old Land. Ireland was entitled to self-government on national and historic grounds. When England was in a barbaric state, Ireland was far advanced, and it was Ireland’s missionaries who had spread learning throughout the land. It would not be long before she

again, took her rightful place. He hoped that in a few years’ time, when the next Home Rule missionaries . visited the Dominion, that they would come only to tell them that Ireland had obtained her liberty. ; Mr, Redmond, in returning thanks for the welcome, declared that in all their political fights the Home Rulers had the women on their side, In some portions of the North of Ireland, where they had the most bitter enemies, victory had been won through the efforts of the ladies. They were under a deep debt of gratitude to women all over the world for the manner in which they had upheld the cause. Mr. Hazleton . said the ground on which the Home Rulers had been attacked was that they desired to set up a Catholic ascendancy in Ireland. That was not so. What they wanted was justice and equality of all creeds and classes, and not a Protestant ascendancy. He was glad to say that they were now near the attainment of their hopes. THE PUBLIC MEETING AN APPEAL AND A GENEROUS RESPONSE. ■ The Town Hall was crowded on Wednesday evening, when the Irish envoys were announced to give an address on ‘Home Rule for Ireland.’ The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. M. Wilford) presided, and seated with him on the platform were his Grace Archbishop Redwood, the ActingPremier (the Hon. J. Carroll), Dr. Cahill, the Hon. T. W. Hislop (ex-Mayor of Wellington), Mr. David McLaren, M.P., Mr. Martin Kennedy, and many other prominent supporters of Home Rule. The meeting throughout was very enthusiastic, and each speaker was frequently and heartily applauded. Mr. Wilford, in introducing the delegates, said he desired to thank the committee for allowing him the opportunity of presiding at such a notable gathering. He was somewhat at a disadvantage in the duty that fell to his hands. The subject matter which would be discussed from the: stage was one which had become of almost daily moment of discussion in the history and the lives of the whole of the English-speaking people of the world. It had got beyond the region of party strife, and ; t was right that it should be discussed without heat and with the closest analysis. He referred to the Bill first introduced by Gladstone for the granting of Home Rule, and the subsequent endeavors which were made to give the Irish people what they have so long been fighting for. That night Ireland had sent her own representatives to state her case. All through the English-speaking world to-day there were suggestions in the direction of allowing colonial representation in the Councils of Empire in order that matters of national moment might be discussed by those who had first-hand information. As Mr. Wilford introduced each of the delegates in turn, they were accorded a great ovation. Mr. Wilford said he did not need to claim a patient hearing for the delegates. The attendance spoke eloquently of the interest which was being taken in their mission. MR. R. HAZLETON’S VIEWS. The first of the envoys to address the meeting was Mr. Hazleton, who met. with a most cordial welcome. His first words were uttered in the Celtic tongue, and those who understood applauded. He did not, he said, ’-apologise for using that tongue, which was the language of their forefathers, the tongue of St. Patrick, of Sarsfield, and of almost all the greatest figures in Irish history. Before long, it was certain, it would echo within the walls of an Irish Parliament. That was not a prophecy; it was a certainty, as far as any human event could be a certainty. They had come, he went on to say, to ask for help, but under conditions very different from those of their predecessors. They had fought the fight and had wen it. The last two general elections had been their victories, and had made the forces of democracy, both in Great Britain and Ireland, masters of the situation. What they now had to do was only to follow up their beaten opponents and plant the flag of Home Rule triumphantly over the citadel. It had been asked why they came to New Zealand? Thev came to ask for support so that Ireland might smash the £IOO,OOO that had been subscribed against her, and in order that they might keep the enemy on the run. They hoped that the last nail in the coffin of their opponents would be driven in not with American dollars, but with good British gold, subscribed by loyal citizens under the Southern Cross. As to the reception they might get in Australia, he had only to road a message he had received from Cardinal Moran :‘A hearty welcome awaits you in every State of Australia.’ What Ireland'Wants. As. to Home Rule, he said that what thev wanted was a Parliament of their own, run with an executive responsible to it, that would have full control over all purelv Irish affairs, subject to the supremacy of the Imperial Parlia ment. They did not ask for separation from the Empire. The Imperial Parliament in London would still continue to control the array and navy, it would still continue to control. Imperial and foreign relations, and all matters of that kind But what they m - Ireland asked for was the principle that they in New. Zealand possessed—the right to manage and control their own domestic and internal affairs, It was sometimes said that Irishmen were dis-

Iqyal, that the Irish Party refused to attend the Coronation of ■ King Gorge Their answer was: ‘When you give r ; us something to be loyal to, we will be loyal also. Just as Canada and South Africa had been made contented by the concession of self-government, so it would be in regard to Ireland. Their position -was this, that were English rule in Ireland the best in the world, as a separate people they would still stand out for the right to govern themselves. But English rule was not good, ; and it was the most waste--ful and inefficient system of government that could obtain anywhere in the world. More money was spent on the police than on education. As to the way in which Ireland is governed, he stated that, in Scotland there are 938 Government officials who are assessed for income tax in Ireland there are 4560. In Scotland the salaries of Government officials amounted to £310,000; in .Ireland - they amounted to £1,435,000. In Ireland there were 12,000 police, costing £1,500,000 a year; in Scotland the total cost of the police was only £500,000. Let them remember that, in spite of the lying cables that a hostile Press Association sent out to New Zealand, and scattered broadcast to defame the character of the Irish people, it was the most crimeless country on'the face of the earth to-day. Two thousand five hundred prisoners cost £120,000 a year; 2900 prisoners in Scotch prisons cost less than £90,000. He could give instance after instance and figure after figure to prove his case. _ One might well ask: Why .all this waster Why - all this inefficiency? " He could answer - Only to bolster up the rotten system of Government which existed. He reminded his hearers that on one occasion Lord Morley had said that the system of Government in Ireland was a bad one and one which .no nationality and no set of people could be expected to endure in peace. - A Mythical Harbor. . Mr. Hazleton created great laughter about how the Irish members for a whole night had kept a debate going in the House of Commons and took a division on the necessity for dredging Woodford harbor in order to ridicule the ignorance of the Government . concerning the- country. Woodford, he explained, was forty miles inland, and not. one member of the Tory Government discovered till the morning after the debate that no such harbor existed. Sectarian Differences Disappearing. Passing on, he referred to the good feeling which now existed between Catholic and Protestant, and the fact that the old sectarian differences were dying. Home Rule, he said, did not mean Home Rule. On one occasion, when fighting an election, he had on his right hand the Grandmaster of the Independent Order of Orangemen. What the Lords Can Expect. Next year, he said, the House of Lords would have a third Home Rule Bill to deal with. ‘The Veto Bill,’ he said, must pass into law this year. If it is rejected by the House of Lords next,month—as it at present threatens to. do, Parliament will be immediately adjourned and the King will be brought next day to open a new session. An'nnjr will be sent up, and if the peers dare to reject it 000 additional peers will at once be created and the Bill will be passed in spite of them. That is not speculation. + ls mi la t ie Crown and the Prime Minister are pledged to. hat meant the triumph of democracy, the end of the long struggle between Ireland and the dominating class to winch he had referred—for their quarrel had never been with the people of England. Home Rule would . mean peace for Ireland and greater security for the Empire, and would pave the way for an Anglo-American alliance,' and enable Ireland to take her proper place in that Empire which she had done so much towards building up. MR. W. A. REDMOND. A hearty welcome was accorded to Mr. Redmond, who, speaking of Cardinal Moran’s welcome, said that the Cardinal would yet be able to come ..back to Dublin and witness the opening of the ancient Parliament House in Col.lege Green. They were there, he continued, to appeal again for support from the enlightened democracy of New Zealand in the last and final struggle for Ireland’s . freedom. Their duty was an honor that was , great, and-the responsibility was a heavy one. It was to the glory of Irishmen that, poor and ignorant exiles as most of them were, they had so magnificently helped to build up the fortunes of this great Empire. The envoys had to show them that they were worthy of their confidence in the future, as he hoped they had been worthy of their support in the past. He was proud to think that he was closely connected with the great Empire of the South. He was partly Australasian himself. His father came : here nearly thirty years ago on a similar mission, and he'was sure ho would be delighted to see the enormous change that had taken place. They were making the same demand now that was made by Parnell and by O’Connell before him—a demand simply for the right to make their own laws according to their own ideas, without the interference of any outside body. Change in Thirty Years. Thirty years ago, when his father came to Australasia there was scarcely an Irishman to welcome him at Sydney’ because Ireland bad been plunged in a disagreeable land war, and an atrocity bad been committed in Phoenix Park winch was in no way connected with Charles Stuart Parnell. The speaker went on to speak of the injustice to

■which the Irish had been subjected, but they would never be satisfied until they had the right of making their own laws in their own country. Some ameliorating measures had been passed, but they had only been passed through the persistence of the Irish members and against the opposition of the House of Lords. An Imperial Aspect. They did not care whether they had representation in the . Imperial Parliament or not. What they wanted was their own self-government for themselves in Ireland. Apart from the claim to govern themselves, they could prove that ever since the robbery of the Irish Parliament the Government of Ireland by England had been one long series of failures. The late Lord Salisbury had once declared that the Irish people were not fit to govern themselves, and yet Mr. Gerald Balfour, a member of the Conservative Government, introduced and passed the Irish Local Government Bill. Mr. Balfour said that if that measure was administered with business capacity and in* spirit of conciliation, it'would mitigate one of the arguments that had told heavily in England against Home Rule. Since then the nominees of the British Government had year after year stated that no work, no business, no transactions could bo done more efficiently, with less cost, with more economy, or in a better manner than the work under that Act had been done by the peo[fie of Ireland. Able to Hide. He further ridiculed the suggestion that Irishmen were not capable of ruling. Here in New Zealand he said, the Prime Minister was of Irish extraction, and sitting on his left was the Acting-Prime Minister, of the foreign name of Carroll. The speaker also gave illustrations to show that . sectarian differences in Ireland were rapidly dying. In the County Tyrone, in Ulster, with a population of 55 per cent. Catholic, a majority of the . county councillors were Protestant, and 00 per cent, of the officials were Protestant. In Ulster, with 33 seats in Parliament, no less than 16 seats were solid for Horae Rule. The speaker covered some of the ground traversed by the previous speaker, and concluded by stating that the Irish question was the Imperial question. . A COLLECTION. Mr. Martin Kennedy urged the people of New Zealand to respond to the appeal for funds which had been made by the delegates. On the last occasion New Zealand contributed some £SOOO, and they hoped that this time they would bo able to raise at least 60 per cent. more. Lists bad been sent out, and two that he held in hand totalled £220. _ While the orchestra played a selection a collection was made. VOTES OF THANKS. In moving a vote of thanks to the envoys the Hon. J. Carroll, who was received with loud applause, described the delegates as ‘emissaries from our Sister Emerald Isle. They knew that the soil of Ireland had been drenched with the tears of a distressed nation ; she had stood the storms of oppression, hut bad now sailed into the calmer waters of rational consideration. What were the facts in favor of Home Rule? Ireland years ago had. its Parliament. It had clamored for ages for the right to administer its own affairs, and the claim would go on until a solution of the problem was discovered. There was a strong federal growth throughout the Empire, and Homo link- had become almost an acceptable fact. Scotland and Wales were for Home Rule, and England was at the least in a state of passivity on the subject. The oversea Dominions, he went on to say, were not successes as Crown colonies,-so they demanded autonomy. Should we, enjoying the blessings of self-government, stand in the way of those in Ireland claiming like privileges? Why should they? They were neighbors shouldering ' the great burden of Empire, and why should not Ireland enjoy equal privileges with ns in New Zealand? Why, he added, even here the Maori race had its special representation. It was not now a question of Home Rule, but of how to give effect to it, . to- what length should git be carried. All that might take some time, but the principle would, ho felt sure, be generally accepted. ‘ ~ The motion was seconded by the Hon. T. W. Hislop, who also was cordially received. He thought the chief reason for the visit of the .envoys was in the wishes of a great and generous people who are located in this country, and who, not content with having left the evil things behind them at Home and enjoying the good effects of selfgovernment, also preserved in their generous minds a regard for those whom they had left behind. The vote of thanks was supported by his , Grace Archbishop Redwood. The achievement of Home Rule, he said, would be a great glory for the. Liberal Party in England. He felt certain the day was not far distant when prosperity would return to Ireland, and capital would flow back to it as a result of the granting of autonomy. A WORLD-WIDE ASPECT. In returning thanks, Mr. Donovan said the collection taken up amounted to £7OO. This was a very inspiring opening to the campaign. He regretted that time would not permit of his dealing with the Irish question from the standpoint of Empire. . Pie could have presented a .case showing that not only would Home Rule tend to the pacification of Ireland, it would in a larger pleasure tend to

strengthen the Empire as. a whole. Was the friendship of America not to be valued in these days? Was an alliance with America . not oflmperial importance? Irishmen were scattered the world oyer, and he could tell his hearers, and it could go forth to the people of Now Zealand, that there could never be any alliance with America so long as the Irish question was unsettled. The twenty millions of Irish people or their descendants had sufficient influence in that mighty Republic to prevent any alliance being brought about till the Irish question was settled. It was, therefore, from the standpoint of Empire, most expedient that this, question should be settled at as early a date as possible. He added that if a ‘vote on Horae Rule was taken in the House of Commons to-morrow it would be carried by a majority of from 120 to 130. lie paid a tribute to the valuable aid given them by Mr. Martin Kennedy in organising tuo campaign, and pointed out that there is urgent need for funds to assist the Irish Party in carrying on the campaign to a successful conclusion. They were also about to organise a great campaign throughout Great Britain, until the introduction of the Home Rule Bill next January. : .‘The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Mayor,- proposed by Dr. Cahill, president of the reception committee, and carried unanimously. AT ST. PATRICK'S COLLEGE. The Irish envoys visited St. Patrick’s College on Wednesday, and ere the guests of the Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy and the faculty at luncheon. They also addressed the students, who presented them with a purse of sovereigns as a contribution .to the Home-Rule campaign funds. Mr. Donovan mentioned that this was the first contribution they had received since landing in Wellington. Masterton The Irish envoys delivered addresses in the Town Hall, Masterton, on Thursday night to a fairlv large but most enthusiastic audience. The, chief speaker was Mr. Hazleton, who emphasised the fact that Home Rule did not mean sectarianism. Two of the speakers asserted that if the House of Lords rejected the Veto Bill, upon which the Home Rule Bill depended, the King had given guarantees which would enable Mr. Asquith to swamp the House of Lords. A collection was taken up, which resulted in a handsome sum being raised. Wanganui Judging by the attendance and the enthusiasm shown at the meeting held in Dustin’s Rooms on April 21 of those interested in the forthcoming visit of the Irish delegates to Wanganui, the mission is likely to receive much support here (says the local Herald ). ' Mr. C. O’Leary presided. ' Apologies were received for unavoidable’ absence from his Worship the Mavor (Air. C. E. Mackay) and from Air. J. T. Hogan, M.P., Air. G. Spriggens, Mr! G. Hutchison, and others. Mr P. Keogh said it had been decided ™ call a meeting of all sympathisers with the question of Home Rule. He , said that not oilly were the delegates prominent members of the Irish Party, hut they were worthy of support in every way. _ He had no doubt the democrats of ‘ New Zealand were in total sympathy with the cause, and that the delegates would be well received in all parts of the Dominion. Mr. Keogh concluded by explaining that the gathering had been called for the purpose of forming a committee to assist those gentlemen who were coming here to fio-ht a battle on behalf of the people of Ireland. After some discussion- it was -decided that all those present, with power to add to their number, form a committee to make arrangements for the reception and entertainment .the Irish delegates. Air; W. Power was appointed chairman, Air. P. Keogh secretary, and Air. T Lloyd treasurer. . Mr. Keogh stated that Mr. J. G. Swan, of.Cliavanncs’ ■y 0 . , had offered to entertain the delegates as his guests during their stay in Wanganui.—The offer was accepted with thanks. . e;;... - Father Moloney intimated that Friday, Mav "19 ’ had been suggested as the probable date of the' Wanganui meetmg —lt ‘ was decided that the secretary be requested to ascertain definitely when the ■ delegates Would- arrive here and. that another meeting he held. ,s Subscription lists in aid of the funds were opened in the room, and over £3O subscribed. Christchurch j There was a good representative . attendance at the Chamber of Commerce on last Thursday evening at a meeting convened by Mr. E. O'Connor, to arrange for the reception of the Irish envoys in this city, and endeavor to make the object of their visit successful. The chair was. occupied by Air. H. H. Loughhan, who said that the movement had been inaugurated by a Wei lington committee, which had taken in hand the arranging of meetings. 53 It was confidently anticipated that the fiuht for Home Rule was nearing a- successful end, and that the visit of the delegates would be the last that would have to be made. A meeting would be held in the Theatre Roval on Alay 20. -- ~ . , J ■

Mr. E, O’Connor was elected secretary, and, as the chairman pointed out, the raising of funds was necessary, his suggestion that Mr. O’Connor should be local treasurer was unanimously agreed to. In accepting the dual office Mr. O’Connor expressed his thanks for the position entrusted to him, and remarked that he had acted as secretary to the committee formed in connection with the first Irish delegates to visit New Zealand —Messrs. John and William Redmond in the early eightiesalso in a like capacity in regard to all subsequent delegations, and now, too, in what was generally believed to be the last occasion on which their fellow-irishmen would need to appeal on behalf .of their long-drawn-out contest. Mr. T. H. Davey, M.P., in a stirring speech moved that all present should pledge themselves to welcome and do everything in their power to aid the cause for which Messrs. Redmond, Donovan, and Hazleton were visiting New Zealand. - He was strongly of opinion that the Irish people should be given a Parliament of their own, in the same way as New Zealand and all other portions of the Empire had theirs. What was good enough for us should be also conceded to the Irish nation, and anything he could do, in even remotely aiding towards that end, would give him the greatest pleasure. The motion was carried unanimously. The following general committee was elected, with power to add to its number:—Messrs. T. H. Davey, M.P., G. Lauren son,- M.P., G. Whitty, M.P., J. A. Cassidy, Getson, E. L. McKeon, J. J. Wilson, W. Hoban, M. Nolan, J. R. Hayward, J. Power, F. Doolan, H. H. Lcughnan, and T. Cahill, Dr. O’Brien, and the Very Rev. Father Price. The Very Rev. Dean Ginaty, S.M., V.G., Very Rev. Father Price, Adm., and a number of the clergy were among those present. The committee remained after the general meeting, and arranged matters of detail, and then adjourned till the following Wednesday evening"; Mr. E. O’Conno'r and Mr. T. H. Davev, M.P., subsequently waited upon the Mayor, Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P., who readily consented to preside at the public meeting of the envoys in the Theatre Royal. Messrs. G. Witty, ALP., and G. Laurenson, M.P., wrote to the effect that being unavoidably absent from the meeting, they were in complete accord with its object, and m sympathy with the movement, and stating their intention of being present at the next meeting of the committee. The Mayor (Mr. T. E. Taylor. M.P.) stated at the meeting of the Cambrian Society on last Friday night that he had been asked, and had consented to take the chair at the meeting to be held by the Irish envoys on the "25th inst. He added that he did not think that ho would proside over many meetings that would give him greater pleasure than this meeting to be addressed bv the Irish delegates. While some people might think “the Mayor of a town should not identify himself with political parties who came to New Zealand in such circumstances as the Irish envoys came, but he had been a Home Ruler ever since he read the history of Ireland. In the circumstances he would have felt that he was untrue to his principles if he had refused to preside at the envoys’ meeting. -Hr. Jones made an appeal to Welshmen to support the Irish envoys in their mission. He pointed out that every member in the British Parliament for Wales, with the exception of two, were Horae Rulers. . Mr. O’Connor has written to Ross Hokitika, irreymouth, and Kumara, asking for local arrangements to be made and to notify him of the dates fixed. He suggests that to save expense, Mr. Hazleton should begin at Ashburton and work down through South Canterbury. According to present arrangements all three of the Irish envoys will arrive in Christchurch on Thursday mornrug, Mav 25, and address the public meeting that evening, .1 hey will remain here until the following Monday evening when they are to return by the ferry steamer to Wellington Mr. Hazleton is delegated to the country towns of Canterbury, and returns here on June 16. Messrs, Redmond and Donovan are to work the Westland district. The Real secretary, Mr. E. O’Connor, has communicated with all the centres of Canterbury, and received replies from . aim ate, Albury, Temuka, and Timaru, asking for the envoy to visit those places. Auckland , The following ar»the dates arranged for the meetings to he addressed by the Irish envoys: —Auckland city, June 9; Gisborne May 20; Pukekoho, June 5; Whangarei, Thames, and Hamilton, all on June 8; Waihi, June 9Te Awamutu June 12; Te Kuiti, June 13; Dargaville will probably be fixed for June 6. This will be the first time an Irish delegate has addressed a meeting north of Auckland. Everywhere the greatest interest and enthusiasm are shown, and the issue promises to be most .successful. Since the enthusiastic meeting in the city last Monday evening a sum of over £SOO has been collected. ' Kumara •n xiAt large and .representative meeting held here, Rev. bather Creed presiding, it was unanimously resolved to invite the Irish envoys to visit Kumara. A committee of twenty-five was appointed, and it was reported that Stafford, Goldsboroiigh, and Otira had joined in with Kumara in extending an enthusiastic welcome to Messrs. Hazleton, Redmond, and Donovan,

, Blenheim - : _ _ A < large and influential meeting of citizens met in the Council Chambers last week to arrange for the reception of the Home Rule delegates in Blenheim. : His Worship the Mayor (Mr, E. H. Penny) presided. Much enthusiasm was evinced, arid a strong committee was formed to make the necessary arrangements. Temuka A meeting convened by Messrs, John Fitzgerald and M. Crannitch was held in the Temuka Volunteer Hall on Thursday evening of last week to make arrangements for a visit of one of the Irish delegates to Temuka. -The Mayor (Mr. T. Buxton) presided. On the motion of Rev. Father Fay, Mr. J. Tangney was appointed secretary, and Mr. Crannitch treasurer. The following were elected a committee, with power to add: —Messrs. E. . Gillespie, A. Gibson, P. Mitten, D. Enright, John Gillespie, W. Hally, Jos. Simpson, T. Buxton, W. Tarrant, Wm. Kennedy, J. Barry, and J. J. Nolan (Clandeboye), and Rev. Father. Fay. The Rev. Father Fay read correspondence from Mr. E. O’Connor, secretary, of the fund in Christchurch, in reference to holding a meeting in Temuka, Mr, O’Connor stated that any town guaranteeing £SO could have one of the delegates for a meeting. Mr. O’Connor said that if Temuka would give him an idea of a date in June when they wanted a delegate, he would try to meet them as far as possible. Father Fay said Timaru, Geraldine, and Pleasant Point were going to have meetings, and to save unpleasantness, which might be caused by collectors trespassing on another district, it would be well to define the boundaries of each district. - ... Messrs, Crannitch and Fitzgerald said they would guarantee, the Temuka meeting, and others offered to do so if necessary. Mr. Fitzgerald said,. that twenty years ago when Sir Thomas Esmonds came here they raised £250 without trouble, # and they were not as well off then as.'now. A subscription list was then handed round the room, over £45 being subscribed. » Father Fav beaded the list with £lO. Oamaru May 6. A meeting was held last evening in St. Patrick’s schoolroom for the purpose of appointing a committee to receive the Home Rule delegates. Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay was appointed chairman, and Messrs. Veitch and Kelly secretary and treasurer respectively. All those present were appointed a committee. _ Monsignor Mackay stated the purpose for which the meeting was called. It was to make all the necessary arrangements for the reception of the delegates. He favored a public meeting being called, gs there were a number of people who had sympathy with the Home Rulemovement who would like to give their assistance. That meeting would not be a parochial one, and it would give an opportunity to all interested in the movement to meet’ and arrange to give a hearty welcome to the delegates. It was decided oa the proposal of Mr. Duggan that a public meeting be called, and that the Mayor be asked to take the chair. ' It was proposed to take up a subscription in the room, and one or those present offered £lO to head the subscription list. NORTH ISLAND DATES „ T The following Press Association messages appeared in, Wednesday's papers;: Hastings, May 9.—The Irish fdelegates last evening addressed a meeting at which a resolution in favor of Homo Rule was carried with acclamation. Messrs. Redmond and Donovan left for New Plymouth, where they speak tonight, and Mr, Hazleton for Palmerston. . Wellington, May 9.Mr. Martin , Kennedy is still receiving applications from different parts of the Dominion requesting that the Irish Home Rule delegates should pay visits. Altogether, Messrs. Hazleton, Redmond, and Donovan will address 50 meetings before leaving the Dominion. The corrected dates for visits of the envoys in this district are: —Mr. Hazleton; Palmerston North, 10th; Shannon, 13th; Taradale, 15th; Napier, 15th; Dannevirke, 18th ; Gisborne, 20th; Taihape, 30th. Messrs. Redmond and Donovan-: New Plymouth. 10th; Stratford, 11th; Patea, 13th; Hawera, 15th; Feilding, 18th; Wanganui, 19th and Manaia on 16th June on their , return from Auckland. , Subscriptions Received. We have received postal notes for 10s from ‘Two Daughters of Erin,’ Christchurch,, for the Irish Parliamentary Fund. . ; ... .:. -