JOHN BURNS.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 119, 15 December 1905, Page 4

JOHN BURNS.

One of the most interesting appointments in the new British Cabinet is that of Mr John Burns, as President of the Local Government Board. The leading Labour member in the House of Commons was born at Battersea, and went to work in a candle factory at the age of ten, subsequently changing to the engineering trade. He was always a deep reader, devoting nearly all his spare hours to self-education, and interesting himself particularly in Bocial problems. When a young man he went out to the Niger as an engineer, and because of his abstinence from liquor became known as 14 Coffee pot Burns." Coming back with most of his wages saved, he devoted his money to an unusual purpose, that of touring Europe in saarch of knowledge of men and things. Having done this, he settled down in England at his trade, and before long was hard at work for the betterment of his fellow workmen. He was a leader in the great agitation which won for the public the right of holding open-air meeting in Trafalgar square, and underwent a short term of imprisonment for resisting the police. During the great dock strike of 1689 be was the hero of the . hour, addressing meetings daily for weeks, and when the dock labourers finanly won a great victory in their demand for higher wages, Mr Burn's reputation as a labour leader and organiser was made. In 1892 he was elected to Parliament by the people of Battersea, who have shown their appreciation of his abilities by keeping him there ever since, and J sending him continuously to the j London County Council since its inception. In the House of Commons b he has won a high reputation for a himself as an earnest and thoughtful a worker, and a very capable speaker. a Mr Justin McCarthy describes him as * never speaking unless he has some- ' thing well worth saying. Short in stature, he is a man of immense physical strength, performing with g ease feats which seem to demand the I proportions of a giant. Mr McCarthy " says he would rather have Mr Burns < than anyone else as his companion in a furious crowd. Yet his nature is " kind, conciliatory, and generous," and Mr McCarthy has seen him carrying out of a crowd a man who has fainted, "with all the tenderness S of a woman." He is a most capable i) athletej being an adept at skating, a, rowing, foot racing, boxing, and g< cricket. " Came into the world with a struggle," he wrote for a reference f book, " struggling now, and pros- L pects of continuing it." The struggle has been successful enough to place P( him in the Cabinet at a salary of T< £2000 a year.