Impartial Reporter. 27-11-1913. CLONES DANCING CLASS. MEMBERS GO ON STRIKE. PRIEST HAS HIS OWN WAY. AND HOW HE BATTLED HIS OPPONENTS. The brief but not uneventful career of a dancing class formed at Clones a couple of months ago, (writes a correspondent), has suddenly become a subject of the greatest interest in the town and immediate neighbourhood, as a result of certain matters which came to a head at the meeting of the class on Tuesday night.

The class was established in connection with the new Catholic Hall, known as St. Joseph’s Temperance Hall, and the latter being in the hands of the Roman Catholic clergy, the Dancing Committee had perforce to conform to the wishes of the senior C.C. Rev. Father Marron, as to hours and other regulations before mixed dancing would be sanctioned. This they did, and as a guarantee that all would be right Mr. McNeill, National Teacher, was the secretary. The class attracted a large number of members of both sexes, all Roman Catholics, and things went on swimmingly for a time. Irish, English and continental dances, which had passed the censor and being duly approved of were practiced and mastered and not many weeks had elapsed ere the effect was noticeable in the graceful gait and deportment of many braw lads and bonnie lassies, with whom poetry of motion had hitherto been a minus quantity.

FIRST RIFT. The first rift in this came when a couple of Protestants from the town were introduced to the dancing class. There was a nominal subscription each night, in aid of the hall building fund, and it had not yet occurred to the ordinary member—nor even to the Committee—that the dance was to be a purely sectarian affair. But the moment word went round that a Protestant had been admitted, although in one case introduced by a member of the Committee, there was a hurried consultation between Father Marron and the Secretary (who, as already noted, is a teacher in the local National School), the result being that the members who introduced the Protestants were taken to task by Mr. McNeill, in presence of their fellow-members, and told that their protegees. WERE NOT WANTED THERE. One of the committee men left with his Protestant friend, declaring he would never go back, but he did, and presumably ate humble pie for his indiscretion, The other never returned, and now has the laugh at his invertebrate neighbour. ALL NIGHT DANCES BANNED. Recently the Committee thought it would be a good thing to have an all night dance, and consulted Father Marron, but the latter would not hear of it. They then wrote to the Committee of the Hall taking for the use of it in the ordinary way for a dance. The Committee referred to is composed in the majority of men who could not be imagined in any conceivable circumstances as giving a vote against the priest in any matter, however far it might be removed from religion or morals. Consequently in this particular matter, Father Marron, who replied it was a question of the SAFETY OF PUBLIC MORALS in the district, had his way, and the use of the hall was refused to this large and respectable body of Roman Catholic young men and women.

COMMITTEE AGAIN BAFFLED. The Committee and general body of the

members were practically unanimous in favour of holding the ball, and they engaged the Townhall for Friday night, 18th inst. On Tuesday night at the dance Father Marron was made acquainted with the steps that had been taken, and not only expressed his disapproval, but ABSOLUTELY FORBADE any of the young ladies or girls to attend. This had the desired effect, as the young ladies are afraid of public denunciation if

THEY ACT IN DEFIANCE of their priest’s injunction, and of course the boys cannot have a dance without the girls, so the engagement of the Townhall had to be canceled. This is not quite all. As soon as Father Marron had announced his fiat, all the young men left in a body, and they have decided not to return, so that the dancing class, as hitherto managed and run, is at an end. There is talk of AN APPEAL TO THE BISHOP and it is pointed out that the Catholics of Monaghan, Enniskillen, Cavan, Belturbet, Cootehill, and other towns can have dances —(which Protestants also attend)—and dance as long and as often as they like, while up to the present there was no objection in Clones either.

Letters to the Editor. Write plainly on one tide of paper only. Do not let the lines be too close. Number the pages. Use no abbreviations which are not to appear in print.

Punctuate the manuscript.

CLONES DANCING CLASS. Cara Street, Clones, 29th November, 1913.

SIR,—I beg to Inform you that I have never been, at any time, secretary of the Clones Dancing class as stated in an article in last week’s issue of your paper. I hope you will give this the same publicity as you accorded the original article entitled ‘Clones Dancing Class.’—Yours truly,

Alexander M‘Neill.

Cara-street, Clones, 30th November, 1913.

Sir,—Seeing a letter from a correspondent in your issue of last week’s, in regard to Clones dancing class, I think the clergy should get the greatest of credit for putting down this all night dancing here.—Yours faithfully, Pro Bono Publico.

WANT OF URINAIS IN ENNISKILLEN. SIR,—Visitors to Enniskillen must be a little puzzled at times to account for its name for up-to-dateness. It has only one public urinal in a back street! Upon the Forthill Pleasure Ground, where children come to play, one would expect to find some provision of this kind. But, no, the result is what one would expect. Possibly all these matters are being left over for the new Home Rule Urban Council. Public urinals and houses for the working classes seem a fairly formidable programme.— Yours truly, X.

4-12-1913. POLICEMAN’S MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. Yesterday (Wednesday) morning there were a series of rumours afloat through Enniskillen regarding the mysterious disappearance that morning of Constable John Burns, one of the senior Constables of the force, and what made the disappearance more remarkable was that it was the day of the Inspection of the local force by the Inspector General. When the missing man’s tunic and cap were found at the lake side at the Weir’s Bridge, a suicide was reported, and on the police sending out inquiries, it was learnt that Burns had been seen at Lisnaskea station, that he had purchased a ticket for Cavan, and boarded the 10 a.m. train. Up to this evening Burns had not been found by the authorities and it is believed that he left the train at some intermediate station.

Burns has a long service in the force and served eleven years of his time in Belfast.

4-12-1913. Larkin Released. Jim Larkin has been released. That is the fact of to-day. A time serving Government, construing the rising indignation of the country over the Home Rule Bill to a feeling of resentment among the Labour Party on account of the imprisonment of Larkin, showed fear, flung principle to the winds, disregarded the finding of the jury and the sentence of the judge, and set at liberty the man who was deemed guilty of sedition. Larkin may well chuckle. But what of the Government ? What respect can be entertained for them by any section of the community? They yield not to force in this instance but to a subtle corruption—they perform an act, setting aside the course of the law, with the view of purchasing votes! Is it not shameful. It may be said that this action of theirs is in keeping with the many others, but how long will the country tolerate a Government to exist, which so prostitutes the office of authority to such vile uses?

4-12-1913. Andrew McGinley, aged 71, dropped dead at Dreedynacrague, near Belleek, on Tuesday night.

Mr. James O’Donnell, Brookeborough, has been elected chairman of the Lisnaskea Rural Council, and this will make him ex-officer a member of the Fermanagh County Council, and also a Magistrate for the district. The election is a popular one.

The Government, it is stated, do not intend to proceed against Larkin, the Dublin labour agitator, on the other charges of incitement to riot, pending against him.

The R.I.C. force in Fermanagh has lost an esteemed member in the death of Sergeant John McHugh, of Roslea. The funeral on Saturday was attended by 70 members of the force, in charge of Head Constable M. Kinney, Lisnaskea.

Francis Maguire, Killesher, County Fermanagh, has been appointed as a Justice of the Peace, and was sworn in at Enniskillen Petty Sessions on Monday.

Errington House, Kilskeery, and demesne was sold a few weeks by Mr. E. J. Storey, D.L., to Mr. John Fawcett, a shopkeeper in the neighbourhood. It has now been purchased from him by Mr. John West, Crocknacrieve, Ballinamallard.

Mr. J. B. Stewart, F.A.I., Enniskillen and Fivemiletown, sold a farm of seven acres at Tullyquin, Co. Tyrone, last Thursday. It fetched £40 an Irish acre. The purchaser was Mr. Jackson Stewart, Aughentaine.

A WARNING.The police authorities have requested us to warn people against purchasing any tickets for the ‘Viceroy’s Cup Sweep’ promoted by what is called ‘Tattersalls Club,’ Chandernagore, near Calcutta, India. Tickets for this sweep stake have been flooding the country, and Truth, in its issue of 29th October, exposed the fraud.

A PUBLIC NUISANCE. Latterly the incursion of tricksters and gamblers at our hiring fairs and markets has become a great nuisance, and the action of District-Inspector Marrinan, Enniskillen, in prosecuting a man for playing with a ‘lucky’ wheel on last fair day in Enniskillen, will act as a deterrent. Mr. Marrinan’s example should be followed by the police in other districts, where no curb or restraint is put upon this class of swindler.

4-12-1913. The Co. Leitrim delegates to Mr. Bonar Law’s meeting, on Friday, were Messrs. George Hewson, George Stewart, Hugh Bracken, and J. D. Vansion. Their address to Mr. Law stated that the visit of Mr. Bonar Law would aid in proving that Southern Unionists were as much opposed to Home Rule as their brethren in Ulster.

The Tango dance, which is now all the rage, has been banned by the Kaiser, when he found that the Grown Princess was taking lessons in the Tango. As there was a strong reason to believe that the Grown Prince was also interested in the Tango, his parents decided to put the Imperial ban on the dance for all officers of the army.

News has been received from Montreal of the death there of the Venerable Archdeacon Kerr, a native of Newbliss. His death recalls the fact that it was he (then Mr Robert Kerr) who reported for the Press the speech of the Rev. John Flanagan, Rector of Killevean, to a meeting of Protestants in Newbliss, 1869, in which, protesting against the Irish Church Disestablishment Bill, the reverend orator threatened ‘to kick the Queen’s crown into the Boyne’ that threat earning for him the sobriquet of ‘The Flaming O’Flanagan.’ [

APPRENTICE (outdoor) wanted to the Printing Business. Candidate should be about 14 years of age, and must have passed in the Seventh National Education Standard. Good progressive wages.

4-12-1913. LABOUR CONDITIONS IN CLONES. Rumours are currant to the effect that the labourers of the town and district of Clones are about to form an association for the purpose of obtaining better wages. Unfortunately there is not a large amount of employment available in Clones, but for such as there is the wages generally paid are 12s a week, which can scarcely be called a living wage considering the increased cost of most of the necessities of life in recent years. One or two employers pay 15s a week.

4-12-1913. ELECTRIC LIGHTING. The public lighting of our towns and villages by electricity, where gas is not available, proceeds apace. Not only have towns like Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Belturbet, and Manorhamilton public lighting by electricity, but also villages such as Tempo, Ballinamallard and Lisbellaw. A movement is on foot to install an electric lighting plant in Derrygonnelly, and the plant now in the course of erection in Lisnaskea will be working by the New Year. In Clones, too, many of the leading shop-keepers have their places of business lit up with electric light, and others are having electric fittings put in. There are still many small towns that should have public lighting such as Irvinestown and Pettigo, which are being left behind in the march of progress by much smaller and more insignificant places.

27-11-1913. The streets of Paris are noticeably cleaner by the greater use of motor cars in preference to horses.

Mr. Asquith’s frequent and long audiences with the King have attracted attention, and it is alleged that a reshuffling of the Cabinet or the Prime Minister’s resignation may take place in the New Tear.

More Prisoners have been released by the Lord Lieutenant. Seven of the Dublin strike prisoners, whose sentence would expire on January 1, have been released.

A steady decrease in the importation of wine into the United Kingdom has been noticed. The 18,000,000 gallons imported in 1898 fell to 12,000,000 in 1912.

An heir to a fortune of £5,000,000, Herr Thyssen, junr., has been sentenced to a month’s imprisonment, and a fine of £20 for libel on the manager of his father’s works. The defendant deplored his position, which compelled him to try to live on £20 a month.

Next year will be the anniversary of the year of the battle of Clontarf, when the Danes were defeated on April 23rd, 1014, by Brian Born, sometimes spelt Boroihme, King of Munster, and overlord of Ireland

The Leeds Strike has collapsed, owing to the vigorous action of the townspeople taking the places of the strikers as volunteers.

Roses are in bloom around Willoughby Lodge, Enniskillen, and Mr. Jones is awakened in the morning by the singing of the thrashes. Wallflowers and other spring flowers are in bloom in some parts of the South of Ireland, and we fear that the blossoms will be killed by the frosts yet to come. The weather is too mild for the season.

Two Writers were invited to meet the King at Lord Burnham’s shooting party at Hall Barn on Thursday—the Editor of the Pall Mall (Mr. Garvin) and Mr. Dillon, the well known writer on European politics. An invitation of that sort means with the approval of the King.

The Death took place at Derry on Thursday of Mr. W. J. Ruttle, J.P., of Derry, who at one time lived in Enniskillen. He had been a commercial traveller, and was an ardent Protestant Home Ruler.

Another Antarctic Expedition has been planned: as many as 4,800 applications for membership have been received, out of which only 45 must be selected, all of them owing allegiance to the British flag.

A Radium Bank, to provide radium for the treatment of cancer, has been suggested to the United States Government by Mr. Alfred Duport.

Ninety-six churches in St. Louis report increased attendances at service owing to advertising. One advertisement said—’You may not like the preacher: it is not his fault. Try another church.’

Three of the Railway Companies running into Dublin have made £200,000 more during the past half year than the corresponding period of the previous year by reason of the extra traffic which would in the ordinary course have gone into the port of Dublin but for the strike.

The Rugby Club (North of Ireland) at Belfast on Friday decided to cancel all engagements from January 1st, in order that members may devote their Saturdays to drilling with the Ulster Volunteer Force.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which has now been sporadic in the country for 18 months or more, has again broken out in Hertfordshire, and an area of 30 miles has been proclaimed, with the accompanying inconvenience to markets and agriculture generally.

The Bishop of London has received a request for public prayer in connection with the Irish problem from 452 of the parochial clergy ot the diocese, including both supporters and opponents of Home Rule.

A Vaccine against whooping cough is reported by a Paris medical journal to have been discovered by Dr. Niccole and Dr Condr, following on the discovery of the bacillus itself. Of 100 oases treated by the injection of the vaccine, 36 were cured in from three to 12 days, while in 39 oases there was marked improvement. The method is harmless.

The Speaker’s Chair and the mace of the Irish House of Commons, which had been lent to the National Museum, Dublin, by Lord Massareene five years ago, have been removed by him back to Antrim Castle. The articles belonged to the last speaker of the House, Right Hon. John Foster, whose lineal descendant Lord Massareene is. Mr. J. W. Dane is also descended by his maternal side from Mr. Foster.

An Arrangement has been made for the protection of performing animals. A conference has been held between the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and music-hall managers, and owners of circuses and performing animals. It was agreed by all the parties that in future all exhibitors of animal ’turns’ must be licensed by the R.S.P.C.A. Managers will not allow them to appear in public without one of these licenses, stating that no cruelty of any kind is practiced by the trainer.

27-11-1913. ENNISKILLEN NEWS ROOM. At a meeting of members and friends of Enniskillen News Room on Friday evening it was resolved to make an effort to discharge its liabilities, and to put it on a sound basis for 1914. As we have already pointed out, a news room and clubs have been opened during late years, weakening the institution. It was stated, daring the discussion at the meeting, that some friends from the country who should pay the minimum subscription of 5s a year, and who used the room largely (with their families) had frequently contented themselves by inserting a penny in the box, which was intended for strangers from a distance, and not for gentlemen in the locality. It was directed that attention should be drawn to this matter in the hope that by these subscriptions the room would be assisted to a better financial position. Tbs News Room is a town institution, and as such should be adequately maintained.

[We inadvertently included the name of Mr. S. Gunning last week as among those who, being original subscribers and still living, were not at present subscribers to the Enniskillen News-Room. Mr. Gunning is a subscriber Still, Ed. I. R]