21 APRIL 1894, Page 2

On the general details of the Bill, as far as

it affects- derelict land, we will not pronounce till we have seen the text ; but we must say at once that the provisions in regard to land occupied by new tenants are among the most cruel and unjust that could be proposed in the House of Commons. They meant that the tenants now occupying evicted farms will only be able to retain their holdings by publicly and formally ob- jecting to the petitions of the evicted tenants. This means openly braving the opinion of the country-side. But openly braving that opinion means that the whole machinery of out- rage will be put into operation. To prevent the filing of the objection, the farmer's house will be shot into at night, hia

oattle will be houghed, his wife and children persecuted and insulted. The scheme is altogether unjust, and the House of Commons is being asked to do a cruel and treacherous act, in -order to remove an obstacle from the path of the Government. Mr. Sexton formally accepted the Bill on behalf of the Anti- Parnellites. We regret that Mr. Balfour and Mr. T. W. Russell did not more strongly denounce the arrangements as to evicted farms in the occupation of new tenants.