The impending sale of Lord Devon's estate in County Limerick
has led to friction between the rural occupiers and the town tenants, who wish the sale to be delayed until they are included. A meeting at which four Members of Parlia- ment—Messrs. Kettle, Gwynn, Joyce, and Lundon—were announced to speak was fixed for 2 p.m. last Sunday at Newcastle West, but shortly before that hour a number of men, supporters of Mr. William O'Brien, M.P., who apparently did not favour the holding of the meeting, seized and demolished the platform and assaulted the M.P.'s, Mr. Joyce receiving a severe wound on the head. Ultimately the wreekeis were beaten back, and the meeting was held under police protection. Mr. Kettle in the course of an indignant speech declared with instructive candour that "when he came there that day he was fully convinced that Ireland was fitted for Home-rule, but after what be had seen be was asking himself was it worth the sacrifice and labour that bad been made for it." Some- what similar scenes were enacted on the same day at Kildorrery, Co. Cork, when opposing crowds came into collision, and Mr. Cullinan, M.P., was assaulted. Mr. O'Brien in Wednesday's Westminster Gazette interprets these out- breaks AS "rough-and-ready protests against what was conotiYa to be a- plot to 'strangle Land Purchase; " and
asserts that in promoting tlie anti-Land Purchase campaign the "National Directory" have usurped the functions and authority of the Irish Parliamentary Party.
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