Miscellaneous
The Tuam Herald, Saturday, March 2, 1918.
The County Clare is now under marital law and in a very unsatisfactory and disturbed condition.
Three well known junior members of the Connacht Bar, Messrs. Price, Leonard, and Henry McDermott; have been called to the Inner Bar and made King's Counsel.
Knock Church, an historical edifice, famous as a place of pilgrimage to clients of our Lady, is through the efforts of the energetic P.P., Fr. Corcoran, to be properly and suitably enclosed. The grounds surrounding the sacred edifice are to be laid out in concrete walks and approaches and a cut stone wall will enclose the site on all sides and a beautiful and massive wrought iron entrance gate of chaste and effective design will mark the main entrance and two smaller gates will be placed at different points on county road. We have no doubt the contemplated changes will transform the appearance of this place of pious associations. The work is to be carried out to the designs and under the directions of Mr. J. V. Brennan, architect, Belfast, and plans and specifications may be inspected and full particulars of the work obtained at his office, or upon application to Father Corcoran, P.P., Parochial House, Knock.
We regret to announce the death of Mr. Wilson O Ruttledge, which took place on Saturday afternoon, at the residence of his sister, Miss Ruttledge, Highfield, Bassaleg, Newport, Monmoutshire. Mr. Ruttledge was for many years connected with the commerical staff of the "Freeman's Journal", and acted for some time as one of the managers of the concern. He came of an old and respected family of landed proprietors in the County Mayo. Closely connected with the family of the former owners of the "Freeman's Journal," Sir John Gray and Mr. Edmund Dwyer Gray, Mr. Ruttledge joined the commerical staff of the paper when quite a boy, forty years ago, and continued his connection with it in various capacities until failing health compelled his retirement a couple of months after the destruction of the Princes street premises during the disastrous events of Easter Week.
The executive committee of the Irish Forestry Society met at 5 Molesworth Street, Dublin, on the 7th inst., the following resolution, moved by Mr. R. J. Kelly, K.C., and seconded by Mr. W. F. Gunn, J.P., was passed unanimously, and copies ordered to be sent to various public officials, and all the County Councils in Ireland — viz.: "That in view of the extensive felling of timber going on at present in this country, and the absence of replanting, the Government be urgently requested to immediately pass a regulation under provision of the Defence of the Realm Act providing that in all cases where trees in a wood or plantation are cut down, and the proceeds of sale or value of the timber cut exceeds £30, that wither one—fourth of this sum, or an amount sufficient for replanting (which sum be the lesser) be paid over by the purchaser to the Department of Agriculture, to be invested and held in trust for the owner of the plantation until such time as he has replanted the felled area, or planted an equivalent area, to the satisfaction of the Department's Forestry Officer, whose certificate will entitle the owner to a refund of the sum held in trust by the Department. We beg earnestly to point out to the Government that, in our opinion, unless some such steps are immediately taken, the present attractive price for timber, combined with the general neglect of the duty of plastering, will soon lead to the universal and disastrous disappearance of trees in Ireland."
On Sunday last a large crowd of the people of Loughrea marched to a farm, known as the Oarne grazing lands, lying on the outskirts of the town, and presently in the hands of the Congested Districts Board. For some time past the Loughrea Town Tenants' Association have been agitating for a division of those lands among the landless people of the town. During the week, however, it was announced by the C.D. Board that they had in preparation a scheme for allotting those lands amongst people other than townspeople. On Sunday last the unusual spectacle was witnessed of Nationalists and Sinn Feiners marching jointly to the lands in dispute. A public meeting protesting against the impending action of the Board was held. Speeches were delivered by Messrs. W. J. Duffy, M.P.; J.O'Loughlin, T.C.; M. Ward, T.C., etc, etc. A force of about 40 police, under the command of D. I. McDonagh, R.I.C., were present during the proceedings, which passed off quietly.
A meeting of the Caherlistrane S.F. Club was held on Sunday, 17th ult., for the purpose of electing officers for the year 1918. A large number attended, and the following were appointed; — Mr. Martin Burke, President; Mr. P. J. Glynn, Secretary; Mr. V. Corcoran, Treasurer. A resolution was passed unanimously endorsing the Sinn Fein policy, and calling on Richard Hassleton, M.P., to resign, as he no longer represents that constituency. It is nearly time this ornament ceased his connection with Galway. For nearly a year, when he was supposed to represent the constituency, he was in Australia, and for the last six months he has been in America. He never did any good for Galway except get a few J.P.'s for his friends and supporters.