MR. WILL CROOKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 559, 14 July 1909, Page 7

MR. WILL CROOKS.

TO VISIT/ CANiUM' AiVD AUSTRALIA. ' ! (By ; Telegraph.-Preea. : Aesocifttlon.-OopyriEkt.i ■ '• [\ ■;.: (Rec. "July 13, 10.35.p.m.) ;■ -~. -;> .'.■;'.'■ ; '■• • --■. London, Julyl3,; Mr. Will Crooks,. Labour .member: of -the House of Commons for' Woolwich, Will sail pa September 10 fdf Canada, and Australia; Hβ hopes, to'spend three weeks: in Canada 'and several.in Australia, starting for Home at the end; of December. He hopes to learn something of the .spirit of tho peoples'oversoas.',!.-. ■■ . J ,, ■■."■'■■■■■ ,; ■•■;..; ■';•■.■, ■■' ''; : . • : ■ A PEN-PIcfURE. . ; : Here is a somewhat vinegary 'Tall Mall Gazette" pen-picture of Mr. Crooks:—"Openair candidature, with"dinner-hour meetings for) the Arsenal and Dockyard men, suits Mr. Will , Crooks admirably, as the fortunate possessor df a voice that will stand a lot of straining.He was born in ' 1852, was ? apprenticed to; a cooper at the ago of fourteen, and worked aa a journeyman cooper ufltil ithe' publie.life began to open np' to him. Ho has represenfed 'Poplar/on the County Council since 1892, was Jtayor of the borough in 1901, and has been chairman of the now, notorious Poplar Board of Guardians.,.': . ',: :■■/■ ' :"?.<;-:•:/: "In Poplar they believe him to bo almost omnipotent,', and it is said that when regi'ettable domestiq differences arise or something goes' wrong. With the water-pipers, the' Poplar family's first thought is to send for him.. On the County Council' he has been chairman of the Public Cbntrol, and Bridges Committees., In Parliament, since he; won his remarkable byelection .Wotory, Mr. Crooks has been a notable and strenuous personality, manifesting himself once or twice in rather unconventional ways, before he became more or loss accustomed to the atmosphere of the assembly. He is'the kind of man to make himself woU known and liked wherever he goes. Mr. Crooks has been twice married, and there are. six young Crookses." " • ■ ' ■'••.■' ■:';"...