IRISH NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, 26 June 1919, Page 31

IRISH NEWS

GENERAL. Mrs. Mullen, Corcreevy, Tyrone, has died at tho age of 104 years, and , John Harkin 'at Colhaine, Letterkenny, Donegal, at the age of 108. \ • ■ ■** The Local 'Government Board ; has surcharged tho Cork Corporation the sum of £35, .being the expenses of the delegates to Mr. Redmond's funeral. The Belfast ■Northern _ Whin understands on good authority 'that the, Irish Government is considering the appointment of additional paid magistrates to take the place of ' the 'ordinary Justices at Petty Sessions. Philip McGrath, an Irish laborer resident for many years at Dundee, lias', inherited £IO,OOO through the death ot a brother in Australia. A brother and two sisters who emigrated to America could not be found. The family formerly resided at Bellinham,- Co. Tipperary.. . Mr. Horatio Bottomley, on being told by .Mr. Bonar Law in; Parliament that the Government did not intend to take any action regarding the non-attendance of the Sinn Fein members, gave notice, amidst laughter, to move "in accordance with the ancient practice of Parliament, for a 'call of the House,' and that those members who do not respond be brought here in the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms." - . The. Proportional Representation Bill, which applies to the Irish local government elections, was carried mi its second reading by 170 votes against 27. Sir Edward Carson and his following opposed the Hill, ami Mr. Devlin, Captain Redmond, and the two Southern Unionist members sijppqrted it. It is understood thai the object of the Bill is to prevent the exclusive return of Sinn Fein el's at the county and district elections. By combining the electorates in groups, the Government hopes to aid in the return of some, supporters of the former National Party. Macroom, the chief town of Mid Cork, is uncler martial law, the reason being a little squabble between the military and some unknown civilians. No one is allowed to pass into or out of. the district without a police permit. No public meeting is permitted, and 'all fairs and markets are strictly prohibited. So strict is the prohibition against meetings that the Town Council has been informed that its meetings, if held, will be dispersed by force. The council is: not .'in favor of Sinn Fein, having been elected three years ago. At Ballycourney, a few miles distant, a lecturer from the Irish Board of Agriculture was not allowed to address his classes, and' for attempting to do so was threatened with severe pains and penalties. The position at Macroom is' typical of several places in Ireland. IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS: BISHOP'S PROTEST. A meeting attended by several thousand people was held .recently in the Cathedral grounds, Killarney, to protest against the treatment of the Belfast political prisoners and to demand their immediate release-. The Very Rev. P. J. Fitzgerald, Adm.. V.F., presided, and after announcing that the meeting had the complete approval of the Most Rev. Dr. O'Sullivan, received the following letter from his Lordship : :. h. The Palace, Killarney, March 23, 1919. Dear Father Fitzgerald,—l cannot be present at your meeting to-day, but the object for which it is called together is one that commands my sincere and whole-hearted approval and sympathy. ; It. is almost incredible that in this twentieth century the atrocities that have been perpetrated on our Irish political prisoners, in violation of a deliberate and solemn agreement, would be tolerated by a Government of any civilised country. Many still living can remember a time when the thunders of Gladstone's eloquence were launched against the King of Naples for actions not a whit more cruel or inhumane, in circumstances that might seem to offer far more justification than tho present political situation in Ireland can be supposed to do. To do anything like justice to the cruel and fatuous policy of our present Government in this and other related matters an eloquence and a power of denunciation such as Gladstone's could alone suffice. I earnestly trust that you will have a large and successful meeting, and that your protest will have the desired effect. Believe me, yours sincerely, ;;>*CHARLES O'SULLIVAN, Bishop of Kerry. SINN FEIN AND PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION At the Ard Fheis (convention) of the Sinn, Fein Party held in Dublin in April, an interesting discussion arose on a motion to oppose the application of proportional representation to Ireland, as proposed in the? Government Bill which applies to. local government elections in Ireland only. g ;Mr. McEnri, who had r charge of the ■■ motion, stated that the intention of the English Government was to smash

the influence and power of Sinn Fein. Sir Henry Robinson would rule the local boards bi under the new scheme, and Mr. John. Dillon would be able to say: "Sinn Fein is losing; I told : you; so." ;?/•;; ,j-fS>JJ ",'L ■ :!'{ t^r|jj;' ; i >. Mr. [ Ginnell, < M.P., who seconded, said he would be a supporter of proportional representation in a free > Ireland. . At present they might, gain in Ulster, but would lose in the other provinces..,.- ".„.■..."";'. V ,V> V ." .• r ~,... • Mr. -Blythe, M.P., said the Bill 1 would: help them in spite of the jerrymandering. Th Ulster it would help Labor to break up the Unionist, Party. : : ;" iI; ' : .' :1 "..- .;:. Mrs. Sheehy-SkefFington was of opinion the Bill would help the Sinn Fein Party in the North. In any case, minorities were entitled to representation. '■''' '"■'-■ Mr. Darrell Figgis also opposed the motion. The change would break up the North-East block/and Labor would have representation where they now had none. '■-- Mr. John Mac Neill, M.P., opposed the motion. Madam Markievicz, M.P., also opposed. ...She said principle should , always be put before expediency. Mr. De Valera, M.P., was delighted the motion was Brought forward, as it gave "them an opportunity of voting against it. Minorities had rights, and .if the Sinn Fein Party had control of the machinery of government they would give them full rights. Whether it favored Sinn Fein or not, he was in favor of the principle of proportional representation. They knew well the object for which the Bill was designed. It was a crooked object. They would meet it in a. straight way, and they would win. They would not safeguard their organisation, even from a trick, by opposing a project in accordance with the principles of justice. ' ■;•■ —' - Mr. A. Griffith, M.P., said that proportional representation was necessary to-a democratic system. The British Government was not thinking of justice for minorities, but of embarrassing tho Sinn Fein Party. Even if it reduced their power, lie- was still in favor of the change; Those who were using it against ' them might find it a boomerang. Mr. McEnri's motion was dropped, without further discussion. «, ' ": - :.,■,•-;.•>• .(-••?