Abolishing public houses ‘It seem curious that the Government should be so set on abolishing public-houses, and forcing people into temperance, or private drinking, at the very time when temperance is becoming the fetish of society. Gentleman drank, noblemen were not ashamed to, even ecclesiastics indulged in too much liquor occasionally in the days of the Georges; but now a drunken gentleman at dinner is unheard of; day by day people drink less; many are absolute teetotallers in fact if not in theory. Public opinion is rapidly making for temperance; the spectacle of drunkenness is considered disgraceful. Once that stage is reached, natural self-respect asserts itself and the cause of temperance has triumphed.’ – Lady Violet Greville in the ‘The Graphic’. The Kennedy orphans The case of the Kennedy orphans was debated at a meeting of the Board of Guardians of Strokestown Union. ‘Mr. McGuire – Mr. Chairman, I have a very urgent case that I wish to leave before you, and that is concerning the Kennedy orphans. They are at home now from the Industrial School, as of course they could not be maintained there by the guardians as they were not committed from the union. They are in a very bad state at present, and the case is most urgent, as they are really in want. They were before the court on last Thursday, and it will be another fortnight before they can be sent away, and I would ask you to allow them out-door relief for a week or so until they are committed, as they are in real indigence. The father, who is not tired or lazy to work, cannot leave the house as he must mind the young child, and so he is comparatively idle, and they are suffering hunger I’m afraid. There isn’t a house within a quarter of a mile of where they live and so you see Kennedy must stay idle in order to save the young child from any danger it might be exposed to by being left alone in the house, and all are young children. The chairman thought it might prejudice this case in committing them if they got out-door relief. Mr. Gunn, R O – So sure as you give them out-door relief you will be surcharged, and of course they will surcharge me. Mr. McGuire – They are utterly destitute, and I believe that if they got a week’s provisional relief we would not be surcharged. Chairman – Mr. Gunn, R O, should inquire into the case, and if they are really destitute the must be allowed relief, as no one should be let die of hunger. Mr. McGuire – We were willing to run the risk of £12 of a surcharge to keep them in Summerhill some weeks ago, and now we won’t risk 5s. Give them provisional relief until they are sent to the Industrial School. It’s no fault of the father I may tell you, for he is neither cold nor lazy to work. The chairman said Mr. Gunn should inquire into the case minutely, and if they wanted relief by all means he should give it. Mr Gunn – Very well, sir.’ Stirring drama ‘A stirring drama entitled ‘The Patriot Priest’ from the pen of Mr. Michael Staunton, Ballinasloe, was given on Easter Monday night by the Athlone Trade and Labour Dramatic class. At the close of the final scene the author was called before the curtain and received a very cordial reception.’ Roscommon farmers warned ‘At Boyle Petty Sessions on Wednesday before Mr. Kilbride, R M, and Major Murphy, Thomas Parker was charged with failing to report himself to the police, he being a supervisee on licence. He had been travelling from place to place in the Keadue district, visiting large farms and pointing out divisions of 40 or 45 acres to small tenants in the neighbourhood. ‘He made a clever defence, urging that as he was on a journey and did not tarry unnecessarily he had not come within measurable distance of the provisions of the Act. He asked the magistrates not to dwell on ancient history when reminded of his first conviction in 1881 and said that he had the highest opinion of the legal talent of other Resident Magistrates who declined to convict on similar evidence. There was just a substratum of truth, he said, in the police case. ‘The magistrates convicted him, and ordered him three months; imprisonment from the date of his arrest.’ Apotheosis of the fat woman ”Western women are too thin. They should rest and grow fat. Then they will be beautiful.’ Thus saith the Prince Twefik of Syria, whose genealogical tree is so old that its roots are – the report has it – in Eden. ‘In Syria,’ he tell us, ‘fatness in a woman is a mark of beauty. The most beautiful face is that which is round and full, like the moon in her glory. Western women are very charming, of course, but they would be far more beautiful if they would ‘achieve’ a little more flesh. Flesh presupposes rest, contentment, peace of mind and ease of conscience. None but the contented can be fat.”
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