MR. JOHN BURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13700, 17 March 1908, Page 5

MR. JOHN BURNS.

BITTER SOCIALIST ATTACK. By Telegraph.— Press Association.—Copyright. (Received March 17, 12.21 a.m..) London, March 10. On Sunday at a, socialist meeting at Battersea Mr. John Burns (President of the Local Government Board i j and member for Battersea) was biti terly attacked. I Mr. J. T. Macpherson (Labour i member for Preston), in a speech at I Wereston, declared that Mr. Burns' j speech had sent a thrill of disgust | through the community. Mr. Burns, speaking in the House of j Commons on the Unemployed Bill, repudij ated the charge that nothing had been done for the poor. The cry was every- ! where raised thai the Government was threatening the monopolies of the rich, and exalting fustian and corduroy at the expense of the tall hat and frock coat. No other country would have spent so much in the relief or the poor, nor would the people have interested themselves so wholeheartedly to assist the indigent. Referring to the failure of the farm colonies, lie stated thai Holleslev Bay involved a loss of £22,000 a year! and gave some striking illustration!! of the unsatisfactory results <>; such methods of assisting the unemployed, few local authori- j ties desired I ,'- [.lowers the Bill conferred, I and he was confident that such legisla- > tion would prove a delusion and a i