ARRIVAL OF MR. TOM MANN

New Zealand Mail, 29 January 1902, Page 52

ARRIVAL OF MR. TOM MANN

Mr Tom Mann, the well-known V n lish labour leader, who intends to in New Zealand, arrived in Woli; U* by the Ruapehu on the 21st- inst^ 1 Interviewed by a reDrp.spnt-h----the “New Zealand Times ” Mr l \r stated that it was Very li’kelv tW ? i homo would be in Wellington move about the colony, and make short trips to Australia ” Lav? 1 “but my home will probably be in w i' lington.” It is likely that he wUI ent * into business on his own account * follow his trade as an engineer ’° f “Will you enter into politics P” ,0,-1 the interviewer. s ®4

“Probably,” was the reply. «t ~ not say anything more than that it £ probable. I will not say certainly” Mr Mann further stated that N e » Zealand is attracting considerable at tention just now at Home. The Im perial spirit which is now so evident* and the assistance which New Zealand has given to the Mother Country in South Africa, are mainly responsible this. The labour legislation' of New Zealand has likewise brought this conn try into prominence in England. .“A good deal of attention is bein» given at Home to what I suppose I may call your experimental legislation” said lie. “I wish to study particularly your Industrial Conciliation andArbitri tion Act. This law has been widely discussed at Home; and it has seemed to us there that there is much that is good in it, as well as some points which are rather narrow.”

“Are you here on behalf of the lah. our bodies of England ?” “No,” said Mr Mann; “I have no authority as a delegate from anybody. In any investigation I may make, I wiij act simply as an individual.” Mr Mann, who is a breezy, pleasantspoken man, below medium height b well-known for bis efforts on behalf' of the London workers. Just before ho left England, he resigned his position as president of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, a post which he held for many years. He was also vice-president of the Workers’ Union. For seven years he served as an engineer in Birmingham, and worked as a journeyman engineer in London after he had settled in the metropolis in 1887. He was the first secretary of the London Reform Union. He has written pamphlets on the Eight Hours question, and a number of books dealing with labour topics. Mr Mann was welcomed | to Wellington by persons connected with the Labour party.