13 FEBRUARY 1886, Page 2

The Welsh are meditating a Land League, and on Thursday

received Mr. Michael Davitt with enthusiasm at Flint, and listened to a great speech of Ilia in support of the principles of the Irish Land League. If the evils which we have had in such profusion in Ireland are not to be extended to Wales, the Welsh landowners must take warning in time, and not insist, as they appear to be doing in many places, even on the last penny of their stipulated rent, in a season in which it is impossible for the farmers to pay full rent, except by borrowing for that express purpose, and so throwing themselves into the power of the money-lenders. In a letter written by "A Welsh Farmer's Son" to Friday's Times, complaints are made of the hardness of the Welsh landlords at the present crisis, and even of the pressure they put on the small freeholder and the clergy of the district to foster game on land contiguous to their estates. It is asserted, too, that in some cases where the farmer has shot down the rabbits, which under the Ground Game Act he has a perfect right to do, the landlord's agent comes round and covers

the rabbits with tar, in order that the farmer may not profit by them as food. If that be true, it is the sort of conduct which will stimulate the proposed Land League into very dangerous activity.