A POOR RICH MAN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11046, 1 November 1921, Page 6

A POOR RICH MAN

MR HOPKINSON, M.P. SURROUNDED BY UNEMPLOYED. NO TRUCK WITH COMMUNISTS. Australian and N.Z. Gable Association.* LONDON, October 29. Mr Austin Hopkinson, M.P., was surrounded by unemployed in the streets of Ashton-under-Lyne, but he refused to discuss the problem unless his auditors were bona fide trade unionists. He said that he had no time for Communists and spongers on tho community. All had to make .sacrifices to bring back trade. He had lowered** his standard of living to toe limit. He had even given up his Pipe and tobacco, which was hard to do. He knew bow hard it was for the genuine unemployed to eee others swanking in motor-cars. , Early in the year Mr Hopkinson, who is the son of Sir Alfred Hopkinson, a Manchester professor, presented £30,000, a mansion, and thirty houses to the Audfenshow Council, in order to live in a bam. He gave his motor-car to his chauffeur. He is a successful engineering employer. 'He hoped that others would follow his example, believing that willingness to show selfsacrifice would re-establish goodwill and confidence between masters and men. He established a profib-sharing scheme, under which hia own profits diminished aa the output increased, and could conceivably disappear altogether.