The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-13
Week-End NeDs ofDubHn
The Operation of the New Land Purchase Act is Civ ing Concern to the Irish

ment of the land purchase act. To
 separate the two operations would be to throw away all chance of the
 amendments demanded. If the land lords were secure to their cash and tn cir bonus, the rotten and rigid com
 munities. might continue to rot. the Estates Commissioners might continue in vain their efforts to eke out those
 uneconomic holdings which the author
 of the act of 1908 declared ought not
 to be sold unless they were enlarged;
 and the practically fraudulent sales
 at gone prices of estates on which the
 rents cannot be paid and are not paid
 would go on under the aegis of the
 Court of Appeal. The amendment of
 the act of 1903 is, therefore. one of
 the purposes announced by the Prime
 Minister in the introduction of the
 new legislation"
 The Giants Causeway.
 A discussion took place at a meet
 ing of the Portrush Council the other
 evening In reference to rumors circu-
 lated as to the sale of the Giants
 Causeway, county Antrim. to a syndi-
 cate in England. Mfr. Arthur Kop-- pell. Lombard street, London, had
 written on behalf of his quarrying
 firm, stating that they observed that the Giants Causeway had been sold to a quarrying syndicate. Inasmuch as they had obtained the mining rights over 1t and a part of the North Antrim coast, his firm were anxious to get in- to touch with the syndicate concerned In this matter, and they would be obliged if the clerk would favor them with the name of the firm who had &C., quired the place. The clerk said that he had replied, stating that. as far as he could find out. there was no sale, and such a transaction would be an- other injustice to Ireland and to the world.
 : The Education Reform Association has passed a resolution to the effect that as the Irish Universities Bill has been passed. and as large sums of money have thereby been allotted in support of higher education, the atten- ton of Parliament should now be dI- rected to the starved and unprogressive condition of primary education in Ire land. The omission of the government, the resolution added. to set up a local authority to attend to the erection, had led to the erection of numerous small unhealthy sectarian schools. largely depending on the teacher for re- pairs, heating and other requirements. The Education Reform Association therefore urges that to effect the need. cd improvement the schools in Ireland should be placed on the same footing as those in other parts of the United KinEdom, that the buildings should be- come the property of the State. that the teachers should be public officials, and that responsible local authorities should supersede the present voluntary and imperfect arrangement, and. further that for the purposes of education a rate not exceeding Sd. in the pound should be authorized to supplement the Imperial grants.
 A large meeting on the subject of tar iR reform was held in Dublin this weak under the auspices of the Dublin Lib- eral Unionist Association. Lord Mayo, who occupied the chair, said the dis. dressing phenomena of unemployment showed that something must he wrong with free trade as 1t existed in the 2oth ! century. Major 0. B. O'Connor moved a resolution declaring that the meeting pledged itself to maintain the act of union, and at the same time held that any change in the fiscal system which would relieve Irish agriculture and from unfair competition would materially help the business and trade of Ireland. The motion was adopted unanimously.
 The Belfast Commissioners appointed under the Irish Universities Act 1908, who held their first meeting at oueen's College, have selected Mir. Arthur Jane, as their secretary. The Commissioners appointed the following from among their number to be Inem- bers of the joint committee flor the purpose of dealing with any matter which is to be dealt with by the Con- missioners (of the Belfast and Dublin jointly under this act:;-- His Honor Judge Shaw, the Rev. Dr. Hamilton, Mfr. R. T. Martin and Proses. sor Symington.
 The Commissioners received q com. munication from the Council of rhe Belfast Chamber of Commerce %sking that deputation of the council might be received and might be allowed to isy their views on the question of the pro. vision of adequate facilities for higher commercial education before the com. mission. The commissioners decided to receive the deputation during their next sitting. They framed a number of uues- tions in answer to which they invite reports from the corporate body of Queens College. The Commissioners will hold their next meeting on Decem. her 29 af Oneen'a C0lIa~a RaIPaa%