THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRT-WKEELY MONDAY. FEB. 9, 1880.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 9 February 1880, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRT-WKEELY MONDAY. FEB. 9, 1880.

The inhabitant* of th*-* InanL'ahui will be called upon during the next few Haya to eontrihute something toward*this Crony's gift to tbe stiff -rinsr D"or of Ireland. The call is beyond qupp ion one wbich rises above all c insiderations of nationality, kin-shio •>r creed. It is *one whieh appeals dl* rectlv to our common insMncta of humanity, and no sui*h appeal ever has or ever will be made in vain to tbe great heart of lbe British nation 4s waa rightly said at the recent meeting, few people in tbe Colonies, other than those who witnessed the terrihle visitation of 1848, can form more than a feeble concept : on of what a famine in Ireland really means A peasantry whose normal condition "n in a general way but -scantily, if at all elevated above daily want, must be po ir indeed ; but when to this is added a failure of tbe crops, and the terrors of an inclement season, the case can he imagined to be a desperate one. Tt is not ether that tbe failure of eulfivaton is confined to particular districts, for we find tbat from nortb south east and west of tbe country comes tbe same mournful cry o' failure, bunger, and distress. That this sudden drying up of the spring from wbich flowed the chief lrfe-aus« taininif p-ower of~the country, ehou'd beget overwhelming destifuMon, is inevitable, and that thit* is really lbe position, we must believe from thr* vehemence witb which the appe il for succor has been made to the civilised world. Famishing man then appeal* to mankind, and in the face of tbrt cry there is but one du'y to perform and it is one which d -volves equally upon every man in the community. That the universality of the oblig ulno is fu'ly recognised, we mav judge bv the fact that promiuent amongst those to initiate the relief mov men ! throughout the Colonies were clergymen and laymen of alt creeds and nationalities. That Catholic and Pro tes'ant Irishmen alike should feel a sharper sense of sympathy for th,* sufferings of tbeir countrymen, is but natural, and we are glad, therefore, to record the muniScent example which Mr Murphy has ihm set his countrymen in tbe Inangabua, Of course al! men are not in the fortunate position to so handsomelv testify their sympathy, Bnt it is still within the power of all to contribute som thing, and in doirg so to remember that — '* He wbo gives freeW. gives well."